Monkeys scare away Siberian cranes from Chintapalli village

Chintapalli village in Khammam rural mandal has long been a sanctuary for Siberian cranes, with these majestic birds visiting annually from January to July to breed. However, in the past three years, the cranes have stopped coming, primarily due to the growing monkey menace in the area.
For over a century, the Siberian cranes have made Chintapalli their temporary home, nesting on the tops of trees around the village. But the recent rise in the monkey population has disrupted this delicate balance.
 The monkeys, arriving from nearby areas, have begun perching on the village trees, destroying the birds’ nests, tossing eggs out of them, and even invading homes and damaging crops.
As a result, some villagers, frustrated by the damage caused by the monkeys, have resorted to cutting down tree branches or trees.
 The tamarind trees, which the cranes typically nest on, have seen a sharp decline. In some cases, the trees have been felled to avoid the unpleasant smell of bird droppings, adding to the damage.
Since 2017, the Forest Department has been working to protect the birds, but their efforts have had little effect, as the cranes have not returned. Without trees to build their nests, the Siberian cranes have stopped coming to Chintapalli altogether.
Typically, in the last week of December, the cranes would visit the village to assess conditions, including food availability and the suitability of nesting sites. If everything was favorable, up to 1,000 cranes would settle in the village from January to July, building nests on tamarind.
 A group of cranes will arrive in the village to assess the conditions, checking the availability of food and suitable sites for nesting. If everything is favorable, at least 1,000 cranes will stay in the village during the January to July period.
They build their nests on tamarind and other trees, hunting fish in the village tank and the nearby Palair reservoir. This is also their breeding season, and after raising their young, they will leave the village and return to their places of origin.
During the time the cranes visit, tourists, including families with children, would come to witness the breathtaking sight of the birds.
 The arrival of these visitors used to provide a livelihood for some of the locals. However, with the absence of the Siberian cranes in recent years, the number of tourists has dwindled, and the village no longer experiences the same influx of visitors.