Mangaluru
The ongoing monkey menace has forced many farmers to abandon their coconut farms, as monkeys consume all coconuts, including tender ones, leaving no yield for harvest. Despite trying various methods like scareguns for temporary relief, farmers have struggled to protect their crops.
MB Shrihari, a farmer from Bolugallu in Mandekolu village, Sullia, developed an innovative solution inspired by solar fencing technology. Having installed solar fencing 25 years ago to protect his farm from elephants, Shrihari adapted the same concept to tackle the monkey problem. Noticing that monkeys typically sit at specific spots on the trees to enjoy tender coconuts, he created a device called Monkey Shock Pads to target those areas.
The device uses PVC pipes with drilled holes, aluminium sheets, and strategically placed shock pads. Shrihari, with the help of a coconut tree climber, installed five shock pads on each of six trees on October 21. The system is powered by a solar energizer box, connected to the shock pads. When monkeys touch the pads, they receive a harmless 1200-volt pulse shock, effectively deterring them without causing harm. Since installation, monkeys have avoided the treated trees, moving to nearby ones instead, giving Shrihari’s farm some much-needed relief.
