DESPERATE farmers have dressed in bear costumes in a ridiculous attempt to frighten away ravenous monkeys from vital crops.
The mongrel primates have been wreaking havoc for strawberry and potato farmers in India’s Sambhal district.
Anguished farmers have resorted to donning bear-suits and growling at the thieving monkeys – and it’s been working, as reported by The Times.
Bizarre footage shows men dressed up in furry black jumpsuits walking through knee-deep lush fields.
A creepy werewolf-ish face mask and pink paws completes the look.
The farmers have reported that at the sight of the rudimentary bear costume, the monkeys, which sometimes come in packs of 100, have fled.
Previous efforts were less effective at scaring the monkeys away.
Other creative endeavors including running after them with brooms, banging drums and pans, and installing scarecrows.
The farmers had complained to local wildlife officials about the monkey plague, but a solution wasn’t found.
Monkeys running rampant is not a new problem for people in northern India, with home break-ins a common occurrence.
The cheeky primates have even been known to ransack fridges for food.
Fed-up local Ratna Aggarwal told The Times: “They smashed our water pipes, broke the water tank on the roof, and smashed our pot plants. When I waved a stick at them, they snarled back.”
The problem has reportedly been exacerbated by human development encroaching on forests as well as the reverence the Hindu religion places on monkeys.
Cows have also become an issue for crops given their slaughter is banned in most Indian states.
Local farmer Munidev Tyagi said he stays up at night to chase hungry cows away from his crops.
“Sometimes there are so many cows, I can’t cope on my own and my wife and children have to join me,” he said.
