Troubled by the growing menace of monkeys destroying their crops, farmers in Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor district have come up with an unusual yet effective solution: dressing up as bears to protect their fields.
Across several villages, young farmers have begun wearing bear costumes and patrolling their farms, a tactic that locals say has significantly reduced crop damage. The sight of a “bear” roaming the fields has been enough to send monkeys fleeing, even those perched on nearby trees.
Farmers say monkey attacks have become a serious problem, particularly for sugarcane and other standing crops. Large troops would descend on the fields, causing extensive losses and leaving cultivators helpless.
“Earlier, monkeys used to come in big groups and destroy our crops,” farmers Rakesh and Manish told the media.
“Now, even monkeys sitting on trees run away as soon as they see someone wearing a bear costume,” they added.
See the viral video here:
Videos and images of farmers dressed as bears moving through farmlands have gone viral on social media, drawing attention to the creative lengths rural communities are going to protect their livelihoods. While the method may look humorous, farmers insist it has brought real relief.
With conventional deterrents failing and wildlife-related challenges increasing, the bear costume strategy has emerged as a low-cost, innovative solution, and for now, a successful one, in Bijnor’s battle against crop-raiding monkeys.
