Letters: Troops doubling in size is not true

I don’t think that there is any other species that evokes so much emotion, passion and ill-feeling than what is found between people, as primates. People either love them or hate them.
Thankfully in my experience it’s the vast majority that love and or tolerate them.
The front page article (Monkey problem out of control, Courier, May 12) was great for awareness of the monkey’s plight but sensational and misguided in facts. A simple visit to the Monkey Helpline web page or Facebook profile will yield all the answers needed, all based on decades of experience and research.
Our local “conservationist” seemed somewhat disconnected from reality when he said culling was the solution. You see his statement that troops have doubled in size is not only unfounded and void of any truth but also completely irresponsible.
Just as a matter of fact, my home in Stella Road seems to be a borderline for two troops. I’ve stayed here for 10 years and in that time the troop sizes have in some years gotten smaller and when the attrition rate is less, they’ve maintained their size. Never have they increased their numbers by orders of magnitude. The troops remain constant at 35-40 and 20-25 respectively.
You see I feed them so I know, I see them daily.
A simple call to your local vet will yield a startling fact of the number that are killed by cars. Just two weeks ago I personally removed six dead monkeys from the highway that were run over as a troop crossed the road. Last night I collected a dead baby in Salt Rock. This month alone 11 dead and four injured, so the attrition rate from daily living is high without your hair-brained thought of culling. Do your research and avoid using your thumb to determine an action!
I also see the harsh injuries inflicted by snares, razor wire, electric fences and dog bites. Sure they often have disagreements amongst themselves but serious injuries caused by internal troop fighting is not common. They know a bad injury is certain death as nature only allows the healthy to survive.
We should see these family-orientated creatures as an added value to Ballito, one that adds tourism and holiday pleasure to our visitors, also that we as residents can enjoy and be proud of. The hysterical hyperventilating monkey haters need to take a step back and rethink their position, besides the reality that karma will prevail upon those that cause harm and suffering to them, also to look at the bigger picture that has a far greater impact on us all like our politics, corruption, crime, employment or lack thereof, and our economy.
So traditional arguments of urbanisation and garden damage aside, lets rather find a way to spin a positive glow from our natural gift, the Vervet Monkey.
MIKE LYNCH
Ballito

Interesting that you feed the monkeys, contrary to the advice of conservation agencies worldwide. Monkey Helpline also discourages feeding but also goes on to recommend feeding methods. So, there are differing points of view about the issue and it’s an open question whether the Helpline has a monopoly on the truth – Editor.