Lop Buri, 14 November 2024 – Over 100 long-tailed macaques escaped from a large cage in the Mueang district of Lop Buri, creating a commotion as they invaded homes, climbed roofs, and disrupted local streets. The escape occurred near Pho Kao Ton, where more than 300 monkeys had been housed.
Some of the macaques entered the Tha Hin police station, while others roamed the neighborhood in search of food, alarming residents, pedestrians, and motorists. Attempts by municipal officials to lure the monkeys back to the cage using food initially proved unsuccessful. However, the latest updates indicate that approximately 40 of the escaped macaques have returned to the enclosure.
The monkeys had been captured earlier by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation at the request of the Mueang district administration to address Lop Buri’s burgeoning monkey population, which has long been a source of public disturbance. To date, over 2,000 macaques have been relocated to a rehabilitation center at Pho Kao Ton as part of the population control measures.
In response to the ongoing challenges posed by the monkeys, the municipal administration has allocated a 26-million baht budget to construct a new shelter within a planned monkey zoo. The facility aims to provide a secure environment for the animals and mitigate their impact on the local community. Construction is expected to be completed by June 2025.