Japan: City's battle against marauding monkeys goes to the dogs

February 26, 2005

City's battle against marauding monkeys goes to the dogs

OMACHI, Nagano -- Plagued by monkeys creating 20 million yen in crop damage

yearly, Omachi Municipal Government has turned to dogs for aid, setting

aside money to train canines to combat marauding macaques, Omachi officials

said.

Omachi's 2005 fiscal year budget will include an allocation of 630,000 yen

to be used to train four dogs that will be put to work stopping monkeys from

stealing crops.

Japanese legend puts dogs and monkeys as traditional rivals in much the same

way the West regards canines and felines as permanent enemies.

" This has gotta be the first time a municipality has come up with the idea

of using dogs to fight monkeys, " an Omachi spokesman said.

Under Omachi's " Monkey Dog " project, the four dogs will undergo about three

months instruction at the Nagano Prefectural Police Dog Training Center.

They will be taught to chase off monkeys on sight, strictly avoid harming

humans and return to their handlers after driving away the simians.

" We've got to make sure the dogs are taught how to repel fierce attacks from

the monkeys without hurting them, " the spokesman said.

If the first four dogs put on monkey watch prove to be a success, more funds

will be allocated to train even more canines.

Japanese macaques are blamed for causing over 20 million yen in damage

yearly in Omachi. It has tried a number of other unusual steps to counter

the simians, including setting up electric fences and shooting at them with

firecrackers, but none of the measures has proved effective.

Omachi Mayor Yoshimasa Koshihara hopes the dogs will provide the city with

an ultimate solution.

" Legend has it that dogs and monkeys are enemies, " he said. " Let's hope it

works. " (Mainichi Shimbun, Feb. 26, 2005)

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