Responding to the rising number of cases of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), the chief minister, Laxmikant Parsekar, informed the Goa legislative assembly during the winter session that it is time that animals that spread diseases, destroy crops and cause nuisance are described as vermin.
Also called as monkey fever, KFD which is a tick-borne viral fever caused by a virus has been detected in some villages in Sattari taluka. It is understood that once the monkey is declared as a ‘vermin’ then authorities can hunt or cull the animal without restriction. The question to be asked is whether it is absolutely necessary to categorise the monkey as a ‘vermin’ when the viral fever is restricted to a few places and can be prevented by vaccination and there have not been any fatalities reported because of the disease. What is essential is to get the people who are affected by the viral fever vaccinated to protect them from the disease.
It is understood that the vaccine is to be given in eight doses over a period of eight years. It is necessary to spread awareness among the people living in areas affected by the disease to complete the full vaccination course. KFD is transmitted by ticks that are usually found on monkeys. After the monkey dies the ticks are known to crawl towards human habitation where they can infect humans. However, no human to human transmission is known. It is not a contagious disease.
We need to protect wild life instead of killing them. Culling becomes essential only if the disease is widespread and contagious just as culling of fowl is carried out when there is an outbreak of bird-flu. It is pertinent to note that a device called ‘monkey repellant’ is available which has proved to keep monkeys away. These devices produce high-intensity ultrasonic sound waves which work within a radius of 30 to 200 metres. Although the sound waves are out of range of hearing of human and most household pets, they attack the auditory and nervous system of monkeys. The government needs to try out these devices instead of declaring the monkey as ‘vermin’.
