The monkeys were released back to their home mangrove swamp near Kingkaew Soi 9 in Rassada at 4pm, the same area where they were caught just days ago. (See story here.)
Present for the release were Phuket Vice Governor Thawornwat Kongkaew and Pongchart Chouehorm, Director of the Natural and Wildlife Education Centre, Khao Phra Theaw, who has been tasked with carrying out the campign, and vets from Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) who are carrying our the mass sterilsations.
So far 71 captured monkeys have been neutered, officials said, noting that sterilising about 60% of any wild monkey troupe should help to control their population, which has been among the chief concerns prompting the campaign. (See story here.)
Other neutered monkeys will be released at appropriate places, the wildlife officials noted.
Following the monkey release at Kingkaew Soi 9, Mr Pongchart and his campaign associates went to inspect the cages set up at the at Monkey View Point at Koh Siray, also in Rassada, at 7:45pm.
A total of 52 wild monkeys had been captured there, Mr Pongchart reported,
“In total, we have now caught 216 wild monkeys,” he said.
As with their fellow wild monkeys rounded up from areas where they are starting to be considered troublesome, the monkeys caught at Koh Siray yesterday were taken to the site near Bang Pae Waterfall in the Khao Phra Theaw Non-Hunting Area to join the mass-sterilisation program.