Monkeys deterred by zipline puppets in Kerala farms

What Happened

In Vattavada, Idukki district, Bonnet macaques increasingly threatened cool-season vegetable farms. A plantation worker, K.V. Subrahmany, and farm owner V.P.S. Sethuraman devised a low-cost deterrent inspired by a nearby zipline setup used for tourism. They rigged a zipline across the farm with puppets attached to the line and secured it using two small iron bars. When monkeys approach, workers operate the line, causing the puppets to glide rapidly along the cable, producing movement and noise that startles the primates. Since the system began operating, monkeys have not entered the farm, though they have relocated to neighboring fields and crops in adjacent areas. Neighboring farmers have expressed interest in adopting similar measures. The region has seen a history of human-wildlife conflicts with Bonnet macaques identified as a crop-loss factor in statewide mitigation efforts.

The local Forest Department conducted a 45-day mitigation drive last year that identified Bonnet macaques, Malabar giant squirrels, and wild boars as key crop-damaging species in the state. Police at the nearby Cumbummettu station previously attempted decoy rubber snakes to deter harassing monkeys, but the animals eventually returned. The new approach is described as low-cost and quickly deployable, with immediate observable effects on the target animals at the treated farm.

Background

The Vattavada area relies on vegetable farms, which face periodic disturbances from wildlife. Bonnet macaques are cited as a notable risk to farming operations in the district, and prior mitigation efforts have included operations by state forest authorities and occasional police interventions. Earlier creative deterrents in the region included decoy devices such as rubber snakes, though those measures did not provide lasting deterrence in all cases.