VOA新闻杂志2024--Thai City Fixing up Monkey Problem

People will no longer have to fight with monkeys in the historic¹ Thai city of Lopburi.

That is because of new efforts to keep the animals from reproducing² and to limit their movements.

Monkey City

Before public health measures to control COVID-19 closed businesses in Lopburi, about 3,000 long-tailed macaques lived there. The people of the city fed them and even had a yearly³ party for them. Tourists came to the city north of Bangkok to see the macaques in what was known⁴ as "Monkey City."

The macaques are believed to bring good luck. They live in the nearby forests and have long been a part of the city's history. But after Lopburi came out of the pandemic lockdown in the middle of 2022, people found that the monkeys had become unruly without people feeding them.

Groups of macaques had taken over buildings. They stole food and caused accidents by walking in the streets. Groups of the monkeys also fought each other, shocking⁵ local people. Some of the townspeople put up cages around their homes to keep the monkeys out.

Stealing food

Wisarut Somngam is a local researcher with the non-governmental organization, Ecoexist Society. He said the monkeys would steal from people by taking any container they thought might contain food. People began to carry slingshots, a small weapon that shoots stones, to protect against the monkeys.

Earlier this year, officials began their efforts to catch the macaques. By May, they were increasing the effort to prevent the monkeys from reproducing that began during the pandemic.

"Our goal is to neuter all the monkeys, 100 percent of them," said local veterinarian Patarapol Maneeorn from the government wildlife department in September. The monkeys would then be put into an area where they will be looked after, he said.

Capture⁶ of monkeys

Now, the situation in the city seems to be under control, as the officials have captured⁷ 1,600 of the monkeys. Some animal rights groups agree the monkeys should be neutered, but they do not want them to be kept in captivity⁸.

Edwin Wiek is founder⁹ of Wildlife Friends Foundation¹⁰ Thailand. He said, "The monkeys are suffering because currently¹¹ they're in a cage that is not designed for them." Wiek pressed the government to increase funding for the government wildlife department to train people in animal care and treatment.

The people of Lopburi are happy that the streets are safe again. Clock maker¹² Chalit Nithiwkram said, "Things have become a little easier because most of the monkeys were captured. Life is easier." He said his business is improving because people are no longer afraid to park near his shop.

For others, the monkeys are important to Lopburi. Supaporn Reanprayoorn operates a store near a temple where monkeys often gathered. "Monkeys are part of Lopburi's identity," she said. She sometimes gave them a little food. "Let tourists take pictures with them - just a hundred or two," she joked.

Words in This Story

cage - n. a box made of wire or metal bars in which people keep animals or birds

neuter - v. to remove the sex organs from (an animal)

1 historic   

adj.历史上著名的，具有历史意义的

参考例句：

• This is a historic occasion.这是具有重大历史意义的时刻。
• We are living in a great historic era.我们正处在一个伟大的历史时代。

2 reproducing   

复制( reproduce的现在分词 )； 重现； 再版； 生殖

参考例句：

• Mind has become self-reproducing through man's capacity to transmit experience and its products cumulatively. 通过传递生活经验和积累创造的产品，人类的智慧在不断地进行着自我丰富。
• Spores form a lipid membrane during the process of reproducing. 孢于在生殖过程中形成类脂膜。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 预防生物武器

3 yearly   

adj.每年的，一年一度的；adv.一年一次地

参考例句：

• The flower show is a yearly event in our town.我们镇上的花展一年举行一次。
• The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。

4 known   

adj.大家知道的；知名的，已知的

参考例句：

• He is a known artist.他是一个知名的艺术家。
• He is known both as a painter and as a statesman.他是知名的画家及政治家。

5 shocking   

adj.令人气愤的；令人震惊的

参考例句：

• His attitude was shocking to her.他的态度令她感到震惊。
• Such behaviour is really shocking.这种行为真不像话。

6 capture   

vt.捕获，俘获；占领，夺得；n.抓住，捕获

参考例句：

• The company is out to capture the European market.这家公司希望占据欧洲市场。
• With the capture of the escaped tiger,everyone felt relieved.逃出来的老虎被捕获后，大家都松了一口气。

7 captured   

俘获( capture的过去式和过去分词 )； 夺取； 夺得； 引起（注意、想像、兴趣）

参考例句：

• Allied troops captured over 300 enemy soldiers. 盟军俘虏了300多名敌方士兵。
• Most of the rebels were captured and disarmed. 大部分叛乱分子被俘获并解除了武装。

8 captivity   

n.囚禁；被俘；束缚

参考例句：

• A zoo is a place where live animals are kept in captivity for the public to see.动物园是圈养动物以供公众观看的场所。
• He was held in captivity for three years.他被囚禁叁年。

9 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

10 foundation   

n.[pl.]地基；基础；基金会；建立，创办

参考例句：

• The foundation of the university took place 600 years ago.这所大学是600年前创办的。
• The Foundation gives money to help artists.那家基金会捐款帮助艺术家。

11 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。

12 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。