Residents count losses as monkeys invade farms in Embu County
Residents of Kiangucu village in Embu County are a worried lot following the invasion of their farms by troops of monkeys.
Already, the residents are counting losses after monkeys destroyed their crops.
The animals are not sparing anything edible including carrots, fruits, and avocados.
Efforts to scare the animals using catapults have borne no fruit.
“They are not scared of humans and the situation is serious," a farmer, Richard Muturi, explained.
The farmers warned that they are likely to face famine was unless something urgent was done to tame the voracious feeders.
Mr Muturi narrated how the monkeys destroyed his passion fruits worth Sh20,000 which were ready for sale.
Another farmer reported losing avocados, carrots and sunflowers valued at Sh30,000 to the monkeys which have even started invading homes.
Trail of destruction
"These vervet monkeys have left a trail of destruction and as farmers we are a worried lot," he added.
The farmers expressed fears that the animals, growing bolder by the day, may start attacking children who are at home following the closure of schools due to Covid-19.
"These are hard times brought about by the pandemic. However, the problem has been worsened by the invasion of the village by the monkeys which we don't know where they came from," Mr Muturi stated.
The farmers demanded that Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officials visit the area and remove the animals which they said are a real menace.
They also want the KWS to compensate them for the losses they have incurred.
KWS rangers visited the village Sunday and only managed to shoot and kill one monkey but the rest hid themselves in a nearby bush.
"There are hundreds of monkeys in our village and killing only one of them does not help," another farmer, Mr James Nthiga, said.
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