Frances Leate
LOUD bangs will be heard in Gibraltar for several weeks as part of the latest tactic being employed by desperate government officials hoping to scare off troublesome monkeys.
Residents on the rock have been warned about the ‘random loud bangs’ designed to scare away the Barbary Macaques and stop them from causing chaos by stealing food and attacking tourists and Gibraltarians.
The tactic is one of a series of initiatives being employed to get rid of the monkeys from urban areas after it emerged several of them had entered the Notre Dame School while children were inside.
Gibraltar’s minister for environment, John Cortes, said officials dealt swiftly with the incident ‘to ensure that there were not risks to pupils’.
The ‘get our monkeys back to nature’ initiative will take place during the end of February and beginning of March.
It is thought the monkeys, who have themselves been residents of Gibraltar for hundreds of years, are afraid of loud noises and will be dissuaded from settling in urban areas like South Bastion and the Laguna Estate.
A government spokesman said: “We will be keeping everyone up to date with our progress and informed on the locations we plan to tackle.
“We would like to remind the public that feeding the macaques is a criminal offence
punishable with a maximum fine of £500.”
During a recent debate in parliament it emerged that the Government would consider resorting to putting down some apes if they cause problems or pose a serious risk to members of the public.
For further information or reporting of illegal feeding please contact the feedback
centre on (00350) 200 65964.
