Nagpur: The city has recorded average over three bite cases every day from monkeys, donkeys and other animals in the last five years, signalling a growing but often overlooked public health concern. Data provided by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) in an RTI reply shows that 6,126 such cases between April 2021 and February 2026, with numbers rising sharply each year and peaking in the current financial cycle.Officials attribute the spike in such cases to increasing human-animal conflict, driven by factors such as open garbage dumps, easy access to food waste, and shrinking natural habitats. Monkeys and stray animals like donkeys are frequently seen entering residential areas, often turning aggressive when confronted, they said.The data, obtained by RTI activist Abhay Kolarkar, also underscores the larger animal bite burden in the city. Nagpur also reported 44,660 dog bite incidents leading to 9,946 injuries, while eight rabies deaths were recorded during the same period.In response to queries on action against stray animals at sensitive locations like railway stations and courts, NMC stated that no animals were picked up or relocated, pointing to gaps in enforcement despite mounting risks. The data pertaining to monkey and donkey bites reveals a consistent surge. Cases increased from 546 in 2021-22 to 794 in 2022-23, before reaching 1,117 in 2023-24. The upward trend continued with 1,431 cases in 2024-25, while the current year has already reported 2,238 cases till February 2026. The focus of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme is limited to controlling stray dog populations. Between May 2023 and Feb 2026, NMC sterilised 69,389 dogs, with an almost equal number of male and female, across centres at Bhandewadi, Gorewada and Maharajbagh.Public health experts say while this may help stabilise dog populations over time, it does little to address the rising incidents involving monkeys and stray livestock. Experts warn that animal bites can lead to serious infections and also carry the risk of rabies if not treated promptly. They called for a broader and coordinated animal management strategy — including better waste management, monitoring of monkey populations, and stronger inter-departmental coordination.INFOBOX: # Bites by Monkeys, Donkeys & Other Animals (2021-Feb 2026)2021-22: 5462022-23: 7942023-24: 1,1172024-25: 1,4312025-Feb 2026: 2,238Total: 6,126 cases# Dog Bite Cases & Injuries (2021-Feb 2026)2021: 5,800 | Injured: 1,4842022: 8,317 | Injured: 2,1342023: 9,110 | Injured: 1,8772024: 9,429 | Injured: 1,8412025: 10,944 | Injured: 2,173Jan-Feb 2026: 1,060 | Injured: 437Total: 44,660 cases | 9,946 injured# Animal Birth Control (ABC) – Dog Sterilisation (May 2023-Feb 2026)Vets For Animals, Satara (Bhandewadi Centre): Male – 15,194 | Female – 16,394 | Total – 31,588 Krishna Society For Animals, Pune (Gorewada Centre): Male – 15,619 | Female – 12,782 | Total – 28,401 Swatantra Animal Welfare Society (Maharajbagh Centre): Male – 4,451 | Female – 4,960 | Total – 9,400 Total: Male – 35,264 | Female – 34,136 | Grand Total – 69,386
