Source: BBC:

A troop of vervet monkeys is giving Kenyan villagers long days and sleepless nights, destroying crops and causing a food crisis.

Earlier this month, local MP Paul Muite urged the Kenyan Wildlife Service to help contain their aggressive behaviour. But Mr Muite caused laughter when he told parliament that the monkeys had taken to harassing and mocking women in a village.

They estimate there are close to 300 monkeys invading the farms at dawn. They eat the village’s maize, potatoes, beans and other crops.

And because women are primarily responsible for the farms, they have borne the brunt of the problem, as they try to guard their crops. “The monkeys grab their breasts, and gesture at us while pointing at their private parts” says Villager Lucy Njeri.

“…they don’t run away from us and point at our breasts. They just ignore us and continue to steal the crops.” In addition to stealing their crops, the monkeys also make sexually explicit gestures at the women, they claim. “The monkeys grab their breasts, and gesture at us while pointing at their private parts. We are afraid that they will sexually harass us,” said Mrs Njeri.

This monkey is laughing, but sexual harassment just isn’t funny.

All the villagers’ attempts to control the monkeys have failed - the monkeys evade traps, have lookouts to warn the others of impending attacks and snub poisoned food put out by the residents.

The town has been warned by the Kenya Wildlife Service not to harm or kill any of the monkeys, as it is a criminal offence. Even the formation of a “monkey squad” to keep track of the monkeys’ movements and keep them out has failed.

These guys are called the “monkey squad”. You really don’t want to know what their true purpose is.

No word on whether the monkeys will be forced to take a sensitivity training class.