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.
In the wise, wise words of PalMD: "Nope, nothing could go wrong with this plan."
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i like this story more than any story i've read this year. it is awesome.
I love how we twist nature to do our bidding because we've previously disrupted nature to the point that we needed to something to counter it in the first place!
This is my favorite part: Sacred cows are expected to continue roaming the city unimpeded.
When rhesus macaques swarm up the balconies of New Delhi high rise apartment buildings to raid refrigerators & sometimes even force people over the brink, it's common practice to employ gray langurs to keep them in check. Not sure how effective the langurs will be against the venomous snakes said to infest the atheletes' compound, tho..
In 1969 the Free Concert at Altamont, organized by The Rolling Stones, used Hells Angels for security.
I'm just saying.
Later, trained tigers will be brought in to deal with the trained monkeys. Of course, elephants will be required to get rid of the tigers.
I think I heard this story when I was a child.
I love it because the problem, and the solution are so uniquely Indian.
Granted, it is possible that this problem could arise in a few Southeast Ssian countries. But what other government would have decideed on this particular solution?
I heard they are still scrambling to get the infrastructures in place too. We hope the arenas and nearby hotels will not be subject to the regular electricity brownouts common to the rest of the city.
If you are planning on straying away from the games complex and doing some sight seeing in and around Delhi (if you've never been to Delhi, be sure to get over to the Taj Mahal about one-hour drive away), there a few local customs you'll want to be up to speed on, for example-
How to use Eastern Latrine: Wilbur Sargunaraj
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKkryfdtMNQ
Love it or hate it, India never fails to surprise and amuse...
I don't see why people are worried. The langurs have all been carefully bred with a lysine deficiency.....
There's absolutely no possible way this could go horribly wrong.
From what I've read already about these games, a plague of locusts, a hail of frogs, and an outbreak of leprosy would not surprise me.
They are making Vancouver look a lot better, and giving London very little to live up to.