Monkey versus Monkey

via Voice of America News blog: Organizers of the Commonwealth Games in India say they will try to prevent wild monkeys from disrupting the event by deploying a team of larger, fiercer monkeys to scare off their smaller cousins.

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via Voice of America News blog:

Organizers of the Commonwealth Games in India say they will try to prevent wild monkeys from disrupting the event by deploying a team of larger, fiercer monkeys to scare off their smaller cousins.

Indian security officials put 10 langur monkeys and their handlers on duty Wednesday at several venues around New Delhi, the host city, to keep wild monkeys in check. More langurs will be deployed when the Commonwealth Games open on Sunday.

Some participating nations have expressed concern about the threat of wild monkeys, dogs and snakes attacking athletes and spectators at venues of the games, including the athletes' village.

Organizers say their squad of trained monkeys will chase the wild animals away. Langurs are known to be intelligent, aggressive and territorial.

One type of wild animal commonly found in New Delhi will be immune from the crackdown. Sacred cows are expected to continue roaming the city unimpeded.


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In the wise, wise words of PalMD: "Nope, nothing could go wrong with this plan."

Jason G. Goldman is a science journalist based in Los Angeles. He has written about animal behavior, wildlife biology, conservation, and ecology for Scientific American, Los Angeles magazine, the Washington Post, the Guardian, the BBC, Conservation magazine, and elsewhere. He contributes to Scientific American's "60-Second Science" podcast, and is co-editor of Science Blogging: The Essential Guide (Yale University Press). He enjoys sharing his wildlife knowledge on television and on the radio, and often speaks to the public about wildlife and science communication.

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