Delhi Assembly Looks to Hire ‘Langur Mimicry’ Experts to Tackle Monkey Menace

New Delhi:

The Delhi Legislative Assembly is planning to hire people who can mimic the sounds of langurs to keep monkeys away from the Assembly premises. The move comes after repeated incidents of monkeys entering the complex, damaging property and creating safety concerns for legislators, staff, and visitors.

Why langur sounds?

Langurs are natural rivals of monkeys. For years, the mere presence—or sound—of a langur has been enough to scare monkeys away. Earlier, real langurs were used at several government buildings in Delhi. However, after restrictions on using live animals for this purpose, authorities turned to human langur callers, a method that has been tried before with varying success.

Officials say monkeys have grown smarter over time. Static solutions like cardboard cut-outs or recorded sounds no longer work effectively, as monkeys quickly learn there is no real threat. Skilled human mimics, on the other hand, can move around, change calls, and respond instantly when monkeys appear.

What the plan involves

According to the proposal, trained langur-sound imitators will be deployed in and around the Assembly during working hours. Their job will be simple but demanding: stay alert, patrol sensitive areas, and scare monkeys away using accurate langur calls. Performance will be monitored, and those who fail to deter monkeys may be replaced.

The plan is designed to be non-violent and animal-friendly, focusing on deterrence rather than harm.

A long-standing urban problem

Monkey menace is not new to Delhi. From government offices to residential colonies, monkeys often snatch food, damage buildings, and sometimes even injure people. The Assembly itself has witnessed monkeys entering restricted areas in the past, causing embarrassment and disruption.

Officials believe this step is a practical response to a problem that cannot be solved overnight.

Public reaction

The idea has sparked mixed reactions online. While some people see humor in the concept of “langur mimicry experts,” others appreciate the creativity and humane intent behind the move. Many residents feel that if it works, similar methods could be expanded to other monkey-prone areas of the city.

For now, the Delhi Assembly’s experiment highlights a simple truth of city life: sometimes, modern problems need unconventional solutions—especially when humans and wildlife share the same space.