More Hua Hin macaques to be sterilised

Officials of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation sterilise macaques in Hua Hin district, Prachuap Khiri Khan, on Monday to curb their population. (Photo by Chaiwat Satyaem)

PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN: The Hua Hin municipality is sterilising even more macaques as their population has grown to about 3,000 despite past desexing efforts.

Hua Hin mayor Nopporn Wuthikul said on Monday that the population of macaques was soaring and. Their numbers exceeded 3,000 in Ban Khao Takiab village and Suan Ling community and they had long troubled local residents and tourists.

The Hua Hin municipality has sterilised about 600 local macaques since 2017 but their birth rate remains high, he said.

"So this year we join forces with the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation to sterilise 1,200 more macaques, both male and female," Mr Nopporn said.

The Hua Hin municipality paid for the sterilisation, which costs about 1,000 baht each, while the department's officials handled the operation, he said.