Little tolerance for monkey business

IN response to the article ‘Zini monkey shooter investigated’ in the Zululand Observer dated 21 November.

It was so appropriate to illustrate a picture of a cute little monkey clutching his mother in order to obtain sympathy from readers.

Don’t be fooled, those innocent little eyes are those of true pests that they become in just 12 months. They are not on the list of endangered species, so what’s the tragedy?

I have paw-paw trees, bananas, mangos, macadamias, litchis, naatjies, avocado, grapes, martingulu as well as coconut trees in my garden.

You can guess what is coming up next. Well it certainly is not sympathy for monkeys.

Needless to say I have not had the benefit of picking the fruit of my efforts because of these relentless pests.

Troops of about 15 to 20 monkeys patrol our suburb four times a day.

It is about time that the authorities started culling these pests and not prosecuting people.

Culling is an accepted practice with other species of animals less destructive than monkeys.

How pathetic is Steve Smit’s plea from Monkey Hotline, by saying that monkeys are having a very hard time of it.

On the contrary, monkeys have flourished well since humans arrived and planted fruit and vegetables for them to raid.

I know I will be stepping on some toes with this subject, but I have lived on a farm and saw what devastation a troop of monkeys do to crops.

They are omnivorous and nothing short of greedy opportunists.

DEFINITELY NOT A MONKEY MAN