MUMBAI: A monkey with a nearly 2.7-foot-long arrow lodged through its mouth was rescued on Sunday evening in Yeoor, near the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), marking the third such incident reported in the past three days.
Residents said the money, a bonnet Macaque, was first spotted around 11.30 am perched atop a temple in Rambaug, with the arrow piercing its mouth from one side to the other. The severity of the injury went unnoticed at first glance, but locals soon realised the extent of the trauma and alerted rescuers.
Sandeep Yadav, a Rambaug resident, said the Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW) and the forest department were informed immediately and a joint rescue operation was launched. One of the rescuers with RAWW, Aman Singh, 26, said the operation was delayed as the injured monkey remained within its troop. “The alpha male was guarding the injured monkey, and the group stayed clustered around it. This made it difficult for us to approach and safely secure the monkey,” Singh said.
The monkey was finally rescued at around 6.30 pm. As the monkey moved around, the arrow got dislodged on its own, reducing the immediate obstruction. The projectile was later handed over to the forest department.
Wildlife rescuers said this is the third such case in the past three days. While one injured monkey has been rescued, another spotted with similar injuries a few days ago is yet to be traced.
On Friday, HT reported a similar incident in the same area, where another monkey was found with an arrow injury and later rescued. Forest officials have initiated an investigation and are scanning CCTV footage in the area, including archery activity, as part of the probe.
“The second bonnet macaque shot with an iron arrow within a week points to a pattern, not an aberration. This suggests deliberate targeting of wildlife inside the protected zone of Sanjay Gandhi National Park. A Schedule I species is clearly under threat, and we urge the forest minister to order an immediate, time-bound investigation before further harm occurs. At a time when there is talk of diluting protections, these incidents underline the urgent need to strengthen safeguards,” said Nishant Bangera, a Thane based environmental activist.
