Here are 18 steps for successful translocation
- Study the number of groups of monkeys present in the area.
- Study where these groups sleep at night and their favourite feeding areas.
- Locate a forest with good number of wild fruiting trees and shrubs and also waterbodies.
- Contact the local trappers who have the knowledge of using both the walk-in traps and nets.
- If the monkeys are localised in a concrete area then use walk-in traps. These traps can either be of bamboo or iron. Their size should be appropriate and depend upon the size of the monkey group to be trapped.
- If the monkeys are localised in an area with lots of earth and mud, then nets should be used for trapping.
- Both walk-in traps and nets can be used simultaneously if the monkey infested area demands so.
- For every 50 monkeys, there should be one walk-in cage, one net, 10 transportation cages, 100 kg of bait, water, thick sheets, a team of four trappers and two supervisors as well as a vehicle.
- Fix the traps or the net either near the monkeys' sleeping quarters or feeding area at a time when monkeys are not around.
- Use bait like bananas, grams, peanuts, tomatoes or oranges.
- Pull the shutter of the trap or strings of the net when a complete monkey group gets into it. Never trap monkeys when majority is outside and only a few are inside the trap or the net.
- Transfer the trapped monkeys to smaller transportation cages. Adult males should be kept on their own, while females and young ones can be put together. Provide food and water to the trapped monkeys immediately and also cover the cages with a thick sheet so that no light goes into transportation cages. This is to relax the monkeys.
- Transfer the covered transportation cages to a vehicle without jerks or any yelling or shouting.
- Take the cages to the relocation site. The best time to reach this area would be when the Sun is setting.
- Gently keep the cages near a group of fruiting trees. Do not release the monkeys. Set your camp and stay with the monkeys for the night.
- Next morning before the sunrise feed the monkeys. The exercise should be repeated twice a day for at least three-five days. This is to ensure that monkeys get familiar with area.
- On 3rd day or so, release the monkeys when the sun is setting. Monkeys would run around and finally get on to some tree.
- For the next fortnight, visit the area every morning and evening, give a good call and feed them. This would ensure that monkeys would not leave the area till they get a fair chance to understand and like their new home.