Culling of monkeys, with the approval of the Shariah, is the only solution to eliminate the menace they pose, according to Prince Bandar Bin Saud, secretary general of the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWCD). The monkey population has increased in the southern region and mountainous areas where they have begun to attack human beings, he said. Arabian tigers, hyenas and wolves, which prey of monkeys, have become scare because of rampant hunting in these areas, he said. Culling of monkeys is an accepted procedure all over the world, he said, explaining that their meat can be used to feed carnivores at zoos and their remains can be exported. In northern Qasim and the northern frontier areas, however, there have been increasing incidents of wolves attacking livestock. The NCWCD includes wolves – like other animals – in its studies and monitoring programs, Prince Bandar said, adding that wolves are abeing considered for conservation. He said the natural population of wolves, tigers, hyenas and wild cats is dropping for various reasons – though there have been sightings near inhabited areas. These animals are turning to human-inhabited areas in search of food – mainly livestock - since the numbers of their natural prey in their conservation areas have declined due to legal and illegal hunting. Also, the size of their environment is shrinking. Wolves, he said, have a role in the balance of nature and killing them with no reason but for the joy of hunting is prohibited in religion and contravenes national and international laws. He said monkeys have been attacking people and schools in some areas. This is because of a reduction in the number of their predators. Besides, people make food available to them – directly or indirectly by dropping garbage – which has contributed to encouraging them to come closer to inhabited areas. The NCWCD has convened several meetings on the matter in coordination with King Khaled University and the Asir Emirate. Solutions considered in these meetings have included sterilizing males, hunting monkeys for scientific purposes, and increasing awareness among people – through the media – that they should not feed the animals and should put garbage in a place inacceesible to monkeys.
