Chhattisgarh: Forest Dept steps up efforts to rescue monkeys trapped on island

The Forest Department in Chhattisgarh stepped up efforts in the North Bastar area of Kankar district on Thursday to rescue a troop of more than 100 monkeys, who have been trapped on an island on Dudhawa Dam for almost two months.

Speaking to the media, Kailash Singh Thakur, Ranger of the Forest Department, said: "We have been trying to feed some vegetables to the trapped monkeys. We have previously tried to rescue them but we were unsuccessful due to heavy rains and the rising water level."

The department is constructing a temporary bamboo bridge from the North Bastar area, in an attempt to safely rescue the monkeys.

Speaking on the rescue operations, Thakur stated that the operation might take three to four days to complete.

Heavy water-logging has made it difficult for the forest department officials to try and save the monkeys. Due to the lack of food, a change in the behaviour of the monkeys has been observed.

The bamboo bridge would be nearly 250 meters long, Thakur stated.