Farmers in Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor district have adopted an unusual but effective method to protect their crops from an escalating monkey menace: patrolling their fields dressed in bear costumes. Several young farmers have already begun using the tactic, and villagers say the results have been immediate and encouraging, with monkeys now avoiding the farmlands altogether.
According to local farmers Rakesh and Manish, the situation had become unbearable over the past months. They explained that troops of monkeys would descend on their fields in large numbers, destroying crops—particularly sugarcane—before farmers could intervene. Since the introduction of the improvised “bear patrols,” however, the animals have been visibly frightened. Even monkeys perched on distant trees reportedly retreat at the sight of a person dressed as a bear, significantly reducing crop damage.
The monkey problem intensified after the state administration began capturing monkeys from urban areas and releasing them into surrounding districts, including Bijnor. While the move was intended to ease conflict in cities, it created new challenges for rural communities now dealing with large populations of aggressive or hungry monkeys. Farmers say their complaints to local authorities went unanswered, leaving them to devise their own protection strategy.
Frustrated and facing repeated losses, villagers finally turned to the creative solution that is now gaining attention. With no formal help forthcoming, they say this method—though unconventional—has provided much-needed relief and restored a sense of control over their farmland.
