Dairy farmers in Nakuru County have raised their complaints to the Wildlife Services Agency, citing the nuisance caused by monkeys ambushing their cattle while grazing and depleting their milk supply.
According to reports in the Taifa Leo newspaper, these farmers voiced their grievances, urging the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to ensure the removal of these monkeys. The primates have inflicted significant losses on the farmers, who invest heavily in cattle feed and supplements to boost milk production, only to see their efforts consumed by the monkeys.
The report also highlighted another issue faced by the farmers, involving thieves who adeptly leap over fences surrounding their enclosures with the intention of silently milking the cows.
“One major challenge faced by small-scale farmers here is the inability to hire guards to protect their livestock during the day, leaving their animals vulnerable to roaming,” said one farmer quoted by Taifa Leo Digital.
Irene Wambere, a cattle and sheep farmer from the Mzee Wanyama area, explained that monkeys are highly intelligent animals. They have learned to coexist effectively with livestock, especially cows and goats.
“That’s why many of us stopped milking a long time ago because on a good day, a farmer might only receive maybe two cups of milk,” she stated.
Edwin Warui, another dairy farmer from the Pipeline area, revealed that his dairy cows bring him no profit at all due to the monkey menace.
“It seems like I’m farming monkeys, not cows. Their job has become sucking the milk while they are out grazing,” Mr. Warui told Taifa Leo Digital.
However, their complaints have fallen on deaf ears, forcing them to seek alternative methods to protect themselves against recurrent losses.
These monkeys were reportedly reported to have escaped from Lake Nakuru National Park, infiltrating the enclosures solely to satisfy their thirst for the cows’ milk.
