Thailand’s National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department has launched a program to sterilize 600 long-tailed macaque monkeys in the Khao Takiab and Khan Hin Lek Fai hills, in the seaside town of Hua Hin, in an effort to keep the ape population at a manageable level.
The mass sterilization, the third round of which began on Thursday and will continue until September 7, is part of the department’s continuing effort to reduce the population at the two tourist attractions and mitigate problems caused to residents and tourists by the wild animals.
Vice mayor of Hua Hin municipality, Ms. Busaba Chokesuchart, disclosed that there are still about 3,000 macaque monkeys on Khao Takiab hill and, although the number of the monkeys has reduced, she said that the sterilization program must be repeated periodically to ensure the population remains controlled.
Veterinarians and officials of the department are now posted at the two locations to capture and sterilize the animals.
While being sterilized, Ms. Laksana Prasitchai, a veterinarian at the department, said the monkeys are checked for any communicable diseases which could be transmitted to humans or other animals.
