Permission given to kill six animals damaging crops

The government has permitted farmers to kill monkeys that are found to be destroying crops, Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera said on Friday (16).

During a meeting with potato farmers, the minister was informed of monkeys destroying crops making it impossible to grow potatoes in the area.

Responding, the minister revealed that six crop-ravaging animals, peacocks, monkeys, toque macaques (“rilava”), grizzled giant squirrels (“dadu lena”), porcupines, and wild boars, were recently removed from the list of protected animals in Sri Lanka.

Minister Amaraweera said, therefore, the farmers are at liberty to use any measures to tackle the menace.

He further stated that after conducting excessive research, including studies conducted overseas, it has been proven that there are no other ways to resolve the issue.