ZCZC
BFF-29
INDIA-VIRUS-HEALTH
Monkeys, elephants and dogs reclaim India’s streets in virus lockdown
NEW DELHI, April 8, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Hundreds of monkeys have taken over
the streets around India’s presidential palace, leading an animal offensive
taking advantage of deserted streets as the country remains under a
coronavirus lockdown.
With India’s 1.3 billion population and tens of millions of cars
conspicuous by their absence, stray domestic animals and wildlife has moved
to fill the void, while also suffering from the pandemic fallout.
In the financial capital Mumbai, peacocks have been seen perched on top of
parked cars, displaying their spectacular trains.
In Delhi, troops of monkeys now scamper over the walls of the Rashtrapati
Bhawan presidential compound, past military guards and into the grounds of
ministries and other official buildings.
“They are stealing a lot more, but not yet threatening humans,” said one
officer on duty at the palace entrance.
The Rhesus macaque monkeys — who often snatch food from shoppers’ bags —
have long been a problem in the capital, but there have been reports of some
getting into office buildings during the lockdown.
Other animals have also been emboldened by the coronavirus restrictions on
humans, who are only allowed out for food and essential items.
A Himalayan black bear last week wandered into Gangtok, capital of the
northeastern state of Sikkim, entering a telecoms office and injuring an
engineer, media reported.
– Hungry strays –
Indian Forest Service officers, meanwhile, have shared videos on social
media of elephants trundling past shuttered shops along deserted streets.
But the lockdown has also been deadly for some animals.
Four horses normally employed for tourist carriage rides near Kolkata’s
landmark Victoria Memorial have died from starvation in recent days, animal
rights activists said.
Some 115 horses, which make their living pulling carriages bedecked with
flowers and balloons, were left to fend for themselves after the government
ordered the shutdown, Sushmita Roy, spokeswoman for the Love and Care for
Animals group told AFP.
“They are becoming sick. We fear many more will die in coming days if they
do not get food,” she said.
The owners of the carriages say they have no money for the horses after
being ordered off the streets.
“We are finding it difficult to feed our family. How can we feed our
horses?” said one owner, Sunny.
India’s army of stray cows and dogs have also found new freedom to take
over city intersections and forage in waste bins, but even those scraps have
disappeared as restaurants and shops have closed.
Aditi Badam of the Posh Foundation in Noida, outside Delhi, said shelters
like his were struggling to feed its animals and other strays during the
lockdown.
Her foundation has been receiving increasing numbers of calls about
abandoned dogs and pets, which he said had become a “major issue”.
“It getting tougher day by day here,” Badam told AFP, adding that strays
near the office blocks of multinational companies and outsourcing firms in
the city were starving as all had closed down.
BSS/AFP/MRU/2000hrs