BKSD Yogyakarta Collaborates With Bedouin Tribe To Catch Monkeys That Annoy Farmers In Gunung Kidul

JAKARTA - The Yogyakarta Natural Resources Conservation Center cooperates with the Bedouin to catch the long-tailed macaque which is troubling farmers in Gunungkidul Regency, Yogyakarta Special Region, because it damages food crops in the fields.

The Paliyan Wildlife Reserve (SM) Forest Ranger Agus Sunarto in Gunungkidul, Friday, said that DIY has a quota for catching 300 monkeys, one of which is in Gunungkidul.

"The long-tailed macaques in Gunungkidul have spread across 12 sub-districts which are quite disturbing to farmers because they damage food crops that are ready to be harvested," Agus said as quoted by Antara, Friday, September 24. However, the colony has come out and disturbed the community's agricultural crops, so the Yogyakarta BKSDA has arrested the monkeys to reduce their population.

"Every time the palawija harvest season, these long-tailed macaques go out of the forest looking for food and disturb the farmers. In the forest itself, there are many plants that monkeys usually eat, but maybe there are still not enough so that they come out of the forest," he said.

Meanwhile, the Regent of Gunungkidul Sunaryanta said the existence of long-tailed macaques is also important, but the population needs to be maintained, one of which is by catching them. The involvement of the Bedouin is needed because they have special skills so that they can catch monkeys without hurting them.

"One member of the Bedouin tribe who has been in Gunungkidul for almost two weeks has managed to catch 70 monkeys. In the process of catching using nets, the monkeys are led into net traps and caught with their bare hands," he said.*