• District Secretariats, PCs finalising data 

The Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Livestock Development, and Irrigation stated that the islandwide monkey population census held on 15 March was successful, as the collected data samples show good results.

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (19), the Secretary to the Ministry D.P. Wickremasinghe stated that the ministry expects the final results of the census in the coming days. However, he said that the current samples indicate that the census was successful and that public participation exceeded expectations. He also mentioned that State officials attached to District Secretariats and Provincial Councils (PCs) are currently finalising the data collected. The ministry will soon reach a final conclusion once all the data are received. "It is a huge process. It will take some time to finalise the data. Yet, we have informed the authorities to send the data as soon as possible," he stated. He also noted that the public provided support to State officials during the census, despite concerns raised by various parties about its success. "We are happy to see that people took this task seriously and cooperated with the State officers," he added.

Meanwhile, the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) stated that the data pertaining to the census of wild animals that damage agricultural crops would be forwarded to the relevant District Secretaries in the coming days. When queried by The Daily Morning regarding the future course of action based on the census, the Director-Wildlife Health of the DWC Dr. Tharaka Prasad said that timelines have been set for the gathered data to be forwarded to the relevant agencies. "The data will be forwarded to the District Secretaries through the Divisional Secretaries. The next course of action will be taken after that. There is more time for that process to conclude."

The ministry, together with the other relevant authorities such as the DWC, conducted a census of wild animals that damage agricultural crops on 15 March, during which farmers were given five minutes to count the monkeys on their properties. However, many parties, including farmers, have questioned the practicality of this method. Some have however emphasised the importance of gathering rough data on the monkeys that cause crop damage. The animal census conducted on 15 March focused on wild animals that cause damage to agricultural crops, including giant squirrels, peacocks, toque macaques, and monkeys. The census was conducted between 8 a.m. and 8.05 a.m. The public had been provided with a specially-designed data sheet through the relevant Grama Niladharis to include the data. It was reported that the census is part of a broader initiative proposed by a committee tasked with addressing the issue of agricultural crop damages caused by wild animals.