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UP farmers use ‘jugaad’, patrol fields in bear costumes to tackle monkey attacks: WATCH
Villagers in the UP village had suffered heavy losses as more than 250 monkeys repeatedly damaged crops such as potatoes, maize, and strawberries.
According to a farmer, the costume cost around Rs 1,600 but helped protect crops worth far more
In an unusual display of rural ingenuity, farmers in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district have come up with a quirky yet effective way to deal with crop-raiding monkeys.
A video from Firozpur village, now viral, shows men in full bear costumes walking through fields to scare away animals. The clip has spotlighted both the creativity and the frustration of farmers who have been battling wildlife intrusion for months.
According to India Today, villagers had been facing heavy losses as more than 250 monkeys repeatedly damaged crops such as potatoes, maize and strawberries. Traditional methods such as chasing them with brooms, banging utensils and putting up scarecrows failed to deliver results. Even repeated complaints to wildlife authorities did not bring relief.
Eventually, a few farmers, including Dharmveer, decided to try something different. They began wearing bear suits and masks while patrolling their fields, hoping to imitate a predator and frighten the monkeys away. The experiment turned out to be surprisingly successful.
Dharmveer told India Today that the costume cost around Rs 1,600 but helped protect crops worth far more. Encouraged by the outcome, several others in the village have started adopting the same tactic, spending a few hours daily roaming their farms in costume.
Watch the video:
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As reported by The Times, similar scare tactics have also been used in parts of North India where monkeys have grown increasingly bold, often entering homes and searching for food in densely populated areas.
While the strategy has helped farmers safeguard their harvest, it has also triggered mixed reactions. Children are sometimes seen running away in fear, or even chasing the “bear” for fun.
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The viral video has drawn plenty of humorous responses online.
“Not just the potato thieving monkeys, he’s scaring me too,” said a user. “Now I don’t want to eat potatoes either,” another quipped.
“And just like that, the plans for the biggest potato heist in monkey history were ruined,” said a third user.
“Imagine someone in that creeping around your place in the dark,” someone else added.
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