Mother monkey seeks food from police; Kerala cops offer vegetables

Kerala cops feed monkey with vegetables when the mother monkey climbed on top of police jeep seeking food. The monkey took the vegetables from Vazhikadavu Sub Inspector Binu, who was sitting on the front seat. The video is being spread to showcase the case of 'lockdown hunger' among animals.

Malappuram: When human beings remain safe indoors during the COVID-19 lockdown, the animals and birds out there starve and struggle to get some food and drinking water.

Assistant Sub Inspector Philip Mampad from Malappuram spoke on ‘lockdown hunger’ after sharing the video of a mother monkey, with her little one clinging on, running onto a police jeep that was on its uphill climb in Vazhikkadavu hairpin bends in Malappuram district.

The cops had nothing but some vegetables to offer for the monkey as it kept asking for food sitting on the bonnet of the jeep. The monkey took the vegetables from Vazhikadavu Sub Inspector Binu, who was sitting on the front left seat.

This is not a one-off incident from Nadukani hill region. The situation of stray animals including dogs, cattle, birds and monkeys are mostly the same everywhere, owing to the lockdown. They find it very hard to get even drinking water, leave alone food, in the scorching summer heat.

Philip Mampad is known for his campaigns and messages against substance abuse. He has been campaigning against the abuse of liquor and drugs through his videos.

This video, of a monkey seeking food, shared by him is a reminder for us, mankind. A reminder that all these lives, other than humans, are also part of the earth that we live in. There is nothing more striking than hunger. We should care about these lives too, says ASI Philip. Philip also tells us to be careful about the food we make and eat; reminding not to waste any.

In another ETV Bharat report from Wayanad published last week; the monkeys, that have been largely dependent on edibles provided by the tourists for food, for many years now - an after effect of the tourist boom in the region - were seen returning to the wilds in search of food due to the total absence of tourists now.

They were spotted relishing on wild fruits with a new-found liking, thus reviving their natural food habits. The environmentalists were delighted and considered that a very positive sign.