Horde of hungry monkeys plundering villages after moving out of forest

By , K24 Digital
On Tue, 18 Feb, 2020 10:55 | < 1 min read
monkeys
Some of the monkeys that have moved out of Lugari forest and invaded villages. PHOTO | KNA
Some of the monkeys that have moved out of Lugari forest and invaded villages. PHOTO | KNA

Residents of Lumama village in Lugari location and Baharini village in Lumakanda location Lugari Sub County are living in fear after monkeys invaded their farms and homesteads.

Led by Stephen Situma and Herbert Lwigado, they say hundreds of the monkeys have moved out of the Lugari forest and camped on the bank of river Lumakanda from where they will undertake the invasions.

They said apart from destroying crops on their farms, the animals also sneak into the houses and eat whatever edible stuff they come across.

Phanice Wangila said the animals were so daring that they chased her away while going to fetch water from a nearby spring.

“They have on several occasions sneaked into my house and stole food as well as attempted to snatch a baby from me,” she explained

Priscah Muswanyi, another victim, said the primates have destroyed pumpkins on her farm.

Situma said the monkeys snatched food from an elderly woman who was having lunch outside her house and ran away with it.

The villagers have warned little children against playing unattended for fear they would be attacked by the creatures.

They are appealing to the Kenya Forest Service and the Kenya Wildlife Service to return the animals to their original habitat.