News Context: Data released in January 2026 reveals that 6,591 rhesus macaques were relocated to the Asola-Bhatti Sanctuary in Delhi between 2021 and 2025.
- The Policy Change: Following a Delhi High Court order, monkeys are now treated as "stray animals" rather than protected wildlife. This shifts the burden of management to civic bodies like the MCD.
- The Problem: Relocation has largely failed as a long-term solution. Experts note that the sanctuary's "fragile ecosystem" cannot support thousands of urban-adapted monkeys. Without a natural food source, monkeys frequently wander back into residential areas or hospitals (the "Monkey Menace").
- Wholistic Insight: The focus is shifting toward Immunocontraception (non-invasive birth control) and strict bans on public feeding, which disrupts the social structure of monkey troops and keeps them dependent on urban waste.
IAS-2026 - OPTIONAL / GEOGRAPHY / PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION / SOCIOLOGY / ANTHROPOLOGY / ORIENTATION ON 03 & 04-10-2025 
