Team from SGNP swings into action, but not in time to prevent minor attack on campus
A rescue team member examines the langur after it was tranquilised. PIC/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Following mid-day’s report on a langur frequently being spotted in Bhavan’s College campus and adjoining areas, often venturing close to people and raising concerns of human-wildlife conflict, the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) rescue team has successfully captured the animal after darting it. The action came after the mid-day report, and a person was injured on Wednesday morning when the langur scratched him inside the college campus. Forest department sources confirmed that the langur had injured a man inside Bhavan’s College campus. Fortunately, the injuries were not serious, and the man sustained only minor nail scratches on his hand.
On Wednesday, mid-day in its report ‘Monkey business at Bhavan’s College!’ highlighted how visitors and students have raised concerns about a grey langur frequently seen on the campus and surrounding areas in Andheri West. They had requested that the animal be safely captured, as its close interactions with people are increasing the risk of human-wildlife conflict and could endanger both, the primate and the public. Photos of the langur approaching people and even sitting on someone’s shoulder have been circulated on social media in the past few weeks.
SGNP Veterinary Officer Dr Vinaya Jangle said, “Our SGNP wildlife rescue team visited Bhavan’s College after receiving information about a lone grey langur roaming in the campus and adjoining areas, often approaching people. To prevent any potential human-wildlife conflict and in the larger interest of both, people and the animal, the team devised a strategy to safely capture it. The langur was frequently seen approaching a particular individual on campus, and on Wednesday afternoon, when it again moved towards that person, our team successfully darted and captured it. The langur will undergo a medical evaluation, following which it will be handed over to the Mumbai range of the Thane Forest Department (Territorial) for release back into its natural habitat.”
In general, the animal was said to be avoiding humans, but on being provoked, it would turn aggressive. A sheet of instructions explaining how to behave around the grey langur in case of a sighting was also put up on the college campus.
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