Former Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera has cited Australia as an example for Sri Lanka when addressing the issue of large-scale crop damage due to toque monkeys.

Amaraweera had stated that Australia had taken steps to kill kangaroos in order to reduce their numbers and the threat they posed to humans. He had noted that Sri Lankan authorities should also take a similar step to address the threat posed by monkeys to crops.

Amaraweera had noted that Sri Lanka had intended to export the monkeys to China, but the plan had had to be shelved following protests from environmentalists. He had further stated that agreements had been signed between Sri Lanka and China to export a large number of toque macaques to Chinese zoos, but that environmentalists had claimed the animals were being sent for human consumption.