Nearly 100 monkeys escaped from an enclosure at the Lopburi Municipality Animal Nursery in Lopburi yesterday, June 30, prompting officials to launch a large-scale operation to recapture the animals.
The monkeys escaped from the facility in Pho Kao Ton subdistrict, Mueang district, where Lopburi Municipality cares for monkeys on behalf of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.
Officials prevented more than 1,000 other monkeys in the same enclosure from escaping and immediately began efforts to capture those that had broken free. Some have already been recaptured, while others remain in the surrounding area.
Workers have also repaired and reinforced the damaged section of the enclosure.
Lopburi Governor Weerapong Ridrod said the enclosure will be upgraded as a long-term solution with a stronger double-layer design to prevent dominant monkeys from breaking out.
The province is also preparing to establish a foundation to manage food funding and support the animals’ quality of life.
Lopburi Mayor Chamroen Salacheep said officials were continuing efforts to capture the escaped monkeys, both by deploying teams to catch them and by allowing some animals that had wandered around the enclosure to return to the cage on their own.
He said some of the monkeys may have escaped because they were hungry, uncomfortable, affected by the hot weather or simply wanted to roam freely.
Officials are working to return all of the escaped monkeys to the enclosure as quickly as possible to minimise disruption to residents.
Chamroen apologised to residents affected by the incident and said officials would survey any damage caused by the escaped monkeys. Residents whose homes or property were affected have been asked to report the damage so officials can inspect the site and provide assistance where necessary.
Similarly, more than 100 monkeys escaped from a monkey shelter in Lopburi last September, roaming nearby communities, entering homes and vehicles, and even making their way into a police station.
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