Langur bites 8-yr-old on Yari Road, forest dept to relocate animal

The primate — nicknamed Koko by locals — is said to have been wandering the neighbourhood for at least a month. However, following the incident, plans are afoot to relocate the animal. Officials in the forest department, along with members of the Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW), said they will deploy a team to track the langur, and possibly capture and relocate it.

Mumbai: An eight-year-old boy was bitten by a vagrant gray langur (also known as Hanuman langur) on Yari Road on Thursday. The primate — nicknamed Koko by locals — is said to have been wandering the neighbourhood for at least a month. However, following the incident, plans are afoot to relocate the animal.

Langur bites 8-yr-old on Yari Road, forest dept to relocate animal

The boy, Karan Mishra, a resident of Yari Road, was rushed to the Kokilaben Dhirubai Ambani Hospital, according to a person close to the Mishra family.

Officials in the forest department, along with members of the Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW), said they will deploy a team to track the langur, and possibly capture and relocate it.

Pawan Sharma, founder of RAWW, said, “Our volunteers have been tracking the animal for at least a month. Gray langurs usually live and travel in tribes, which are led by alpha males. It’s common for these alphas to be ostracised from the tribe after a fight with a younger, more dominant male.

“This could be one explanation for how this langur landed up in Yari Road. It could be searching for food and water or might even be a captive animal that has escaped, though that’s less likely.”

The animal is said to have been disturbed multiple times by onlookers, who have tried to feed or tease it, against the advice of RAWW volunteers. But for the most part, Sharma said, it has been co-existing peacefully with the residents, often showing up at a cricket ground

in Aram Nagar in the evening.

Sharma said that tranquilising or caging the animal is a tricky prospect in urban environment and should be attempted only in exceptional scenarios.

“We were not considering a rescue since the animal clearly has enough food available in the area and was not harming anyone, but the situation has changed today after it bit the boy. Some action will be taken tomorrow,” said Sharma.

Rakesh Bhoir, range forest officer, Mumbai, said that he has been apprised of the details and will be deputing a team of forest staffers to track down the animal.

“If it is possible, they will rescue the animal and we will rehabilitate it. In any case, citizens are advised to leave the animal alone. They may admire it from afar but should not engage with it in any way. The animal is protected under the Wildlife Act, and we will take action against anyone who takes the matter into their own hands.”