A member of a gang of monkeys that terrorized the inhabitants of a Japanese city for weeks has been captured and killed.
Macaques injured nearly 50 people in Yamaguta, the BBC reported, citing city officials.
Officials said the male primate was found on the high school grounds on Tuesday, July 26, at night by specially ordered hunters. He was doused with tranquilizers and then killed after being identified as one of the animals responsible for the attacks.
Authorities have been hunting monkeys since attacks on adults and children began about three weeks ago. Most of the injuries were minor scratches and bites.
Incidents continue to be reported and the search for other gang members continues, a spokesman for the local agriculture department said.
“Eyewitnesses describe monkeys of different sizes, and even after capture we are getting reports of new attacks,” he said.
The captured monkey is estimated to be four years old and about half a meter tall.
Japanese macaques are distributed throughout most of the country and are considered pests in some areas, eating crops and occasionally entering homes.
However, attacks are not uncommon in Yamaguchi. A city official said before the takeover that it was “rare to see so many attacks in such a short period of time.”
Previous attempts to catch the animals with traps were unsuccessful, and police patrols set up in early July were still unsuccessful.
We remind you, earlier it was reported that scientists predicted the peak of the monkeypox outbreak. In 70 countries, 17.8 thousand cases of the disease have been recorded.
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Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.