Delhi shifted 6,591 monkeys to wildlife sanctuary in 5 years
Delhi has moved 6,591 monkeys out of city neighborhoods and into the Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary between 2021 and 2025.
Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa shared this update in response to questions about how the city is handling its monkey problem.
The goal: make urban life a little less wild for everyone.
How did they do it—and did it work?
Each year saw hundreds (sometimes over a thousand) monkeys relocated, mostly by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and New Delhi Municipal Council—though many weren't neutered before release.
In 2024, after a court order clarified responsibility for action, relocation efforts continued.
But here's the catch: weak fencing and not enough natural food at the sanctuary mean many monkeys just wander back into town.
The monkey business isn't over
Even with all these relocations, monkeys still cause chaos in places like CR Park and Delhi University.
To cope, officials have put up fake langur cutouts at dozens of sites and drop off massive amounts of food daily—signs that solving this monkey puzzle is trickier than it sounds.