India Deploys Cardboard Monkeys Ahead of G20 Summit

Monkey imitators will also be used to keep primates away from delegates in New Delhi
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 4, 2023 2:23 PM CDT

India is preparing for the G20 summit and its capital city of New Delhi doesn't want world leaders to be harassed or attacked by rhesus monkeys. In a departure from previous anti-monkey efforts, the city is fighting the monkeys with cardboard monkeys instead of bigger monkeys, the BBC reports. Rhesus monkeys are scared of larger, more aggressive langur monkeys and authorities used them, controlled by leads, to scare off monkeys at international events including the 2010 Commonwealth Games. For the G20 summit next weekend, they are relying on cardboard cut-outs of langur monkeys, along with dozens of workers trained to mimic langur monkey noises.

The rhesus monkeys are a common hazard in the city and often attack "unsuspecting pedestrians or residents," reports Reuters. Satish Upadhyay, the vice-chairperson of the New Delhi Municipal Council, says 30 to 40 monkey imitators will be deployed around hotels where delegates are staying. The cardboard monkeys have been placed on main roads and Upadhyay says the new approach is working. "We started placing these cutouts in the city over the last one week and are already seeing a positive impact," Upadhyay says, per Reuters. "Monkeys have stopped going to the areas where these are present." Authorities have also started providing food to monkeys in nearby forests so they will be less tempted to wander into the city. (More Delhi stories.)

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