Now Reading: Langur mimicry hired to keep monkeys off Delhi BWF Worlds
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Langur mimicry hired to keep monkeys off Delhi BWF Worlds
The Badminton Association of India has hired three men to mimic langur calls to scare away monkeys during the BWF World Championships in New Delhi from August 17 to 23. The move…
The Story in Brief
The Badminton Association of India has hired three men to mimic langur calls to scare away monkeys during the BWF World Championships in New Delhi from August 17 to 23. The move follows a monkey entering the stands and pigeon droppings falling on courts during the India Open in January. Jabbar and Zafar, among those hired, said monkeys flee when they hear langur sounds, a method they have used in government offices before.
PV Sindhu praised the effort on X, writing: "You can laugh at the solution, but you have to love the effort." The Sports Authority of India has spent about Rs 20 crore renovating the Indira Gandhi Stadium, including automatic double doors, sealed vents, and a pigeon-repellent gel. Sound machines imitating predatory birds have also been placed inside. The organisers are coordinating with the MCD to keep stray animals off the campus.
The Indian Opinion
Social media has enjoyed a laugh at three men making langur calls to protect a world badminton event. But the mockery misses two points. First, monkeys have already disrupted an India Open here, drawing complaints from foreign players. Second, the method is legal and humane, replacing the now-forbidden use of live langurs. The real test will not be the langur mimics but whether bird droppings stay off the courts and the newly renovated venue meets international standards. Why did these problems arise in the first place, and will they actually be fixed?
Sources (5): timesnownews.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com, hindustantimes.com, hindustantimes.com (2), sports.ndtv.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 5 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 5 sources.
