Thailand: Monkeys come out on roads in search of scrap food during pandemic | Watch

A barrel of monkeys was seen blocking the roads in Lopburi, central Thailand hunting for scraps of food, halting the traffic for several minutes. The animals, devoid of food due to no tourists amid the COVID-19 restrictions, faced off in front of the ruins of a Buddhist temple as commuters waited patiently witnessing the scene. As the monkeys fought for food, one group was chased away among several assembled on the road. The footage garnered nearly 1.9k likes and a slew of reactions as people were amused at the animals. 

According to the local press reports, due to the domestic travel ban instated across central Thailand earlier this month, people were confined indoors adhering to stay-at-home orders in view of the delta variant surge. And hence, this caused the animals food shortage with no tourists in sight actually feeding them. The authorities in Thailand had rolled out several mass sterilization programs to bring the monkey population under control but the animals in large groups have managed to come out of during the restrictions. 

An onlooker named Khun Itiphat told a press reporter that the monkeys were often spotted at a building near the temple and have been heard squealing. ‘There were so many of them all stood together,’ he reportedly stated describing the unusual situation. In the photos that emerged, the animals could be seen heckling the commuters to feed them. Many monkeys ran across the road fighting amongst each other for food. Local residents reportedly stated that the animals often squabbled near the abandoned cinema searching for food items. The area situated about 100 miles north of Bangkok was a popular tourist hub where people left food for monkeys before the pandemic hit. 

Street animals devoid of food due to COVID-19 restrictions

The street animals especially cats, dogs, and monkeys have been lingering around the shops or the sidewalk restaurants for meals. They have been drastically impacted due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Many such animals would now be scrambling for food with people thinning out or disappearing from sight and businesses shuttered due to the occasional COVID-19 restrictions with different waves hitting. Several stray animals have lost their vital food source, and pets were also abandoned as the owners could no longer take care of them due to the financial constraints amid the pandemic. A government veterinarian Supakarn Kaewchot told the media outlets that the monkeys were so dependent on the tourists for food and with COVID-19 measures rolling in, the city provides no space for them to fend for themselves.