Farmers in Firozpur village of Sambhal district in Uttar Pradesh have adopted an unusual method to protect their crops from monkey attacks by dressing up as bears and standing in their fields.
The farmers, who cultivate crops such as potatoes and strawberries, say frequent monkey invasions have caused significant damage. According to farmer Dharambir, over 1,000 monkeys enter the fields daily, destroying produce and leaving them with heavy losses.
“To tackle this, we wear bear costumes and stand in the fields during the day to scare the monkeys away,” he said, adding that several farmers in the village have started following this method.
Forest Department official Manoj Kumar said he was not fully aware of the practice but noted that merely chasing monkeys away would not solve the issue permanently, as they tend to relocate. He added that efforts would be made to capture the animals and release them into forest areas, and further action would be taken based on official directions.
The innovative yet unusual approach by farmers has drawn attention, highlighting the growing human-wildlife conflict in rural areas.
