TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The rain that was coming late this season was assumed to be the cause of the recent monkey invasions into some farmlands in Ponjong district, Gunungkidul regency, Yogyakarta.
"The monkeys invaded the farmlands because they ran out of food resources on the hills, many plantations were withered since there was no rain," said the District Head of Ponjong, Haryo Ambar Suwardi, to Tempo on Saturday, January 11. He added that people are starting to overcome this annual monkey attack by preparing rotten fruits on the elevated stages near their farmlands during dry seasons.
"At Gunungkidul, especially the southern parts, are having the longest period of dry season, the rain comes late," said Tony Agus Wijaya, Data and Information Section Head of Meterorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Yogyakarta.
During recent years, people in Ponjong and several other districts in Gunungkidul have been haunted by the long-tailed monkey attacks not only during the harvest time, but also during the planting season.
PRIBADI WICAKSONO