The Caribbean country of Sint Maarten has approved a controversial plan to cull the entire population of vervet monkeys, a species that has been labelled as a “nuisance” by locals on the Dutch island. However, critics of the plan suggest that instead of killing, sterilisation or neutering might be a better way to handle the rising numbers of the monkey species.

The plan to kill hundreds of monkeys comes after farmer complaints that the invasive species were “raiding their crops and destroying their livelihood,” reports Guardian.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: CDC accused of importing infected macaques from Cambodia

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An NGO by the name of Nature Foundation St Maarten which as per its website aims to “preserve and enhance its (St Maarten’s) nature for generations to come” will execute the government-funded plan to capture and euthanise more than 450 monkeys over the next three years. The numbers are from a now-outdated survey carried out in 2020.

Sint Maarten’s ministry of tourism, economic affairs, transportation and telecommunication in December approved 100,000NAf ($55,000) in funding per year for the project.

Leslie Hickerson, the NGO’s manager, said that it can be difficult to maintain population size control for invasive species as they lack natural predators in the area.&nbsp;

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“Species management is an important aspect of keeping the island healthy for those who come after us,” he said.&nbsp;

The species which is native to southern and eastern Africa was introduced to the region sometime in the 17th century by European settlers who kept them as exotic pets.

Dave Du Toit, founder of the Vervet Monkey Foundation says that the cull is unlikely to work.

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His non-profit shelters orphaned and injured primates in South Africa where the species is native. He suggests “vasectomise the males and sterilise the females” would work better.&nbsp;

Du Toit also said that research into food disposal practices and the availability of food for wildlife might help in achieving a more harmonious existence between the monkeys and the humans of Sint Maarten.

However, yet another suggestion is to capture and relocate the entire monkey population. The proposition has been offered by Eusebio Richardson, a ranger with the Nature Foundation who says that given how fast these monkeys reproduce, relocation might be the only way to “protect the biodiversity of the island”.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The Caribbean country of Sint Maarten has approved a controversial plan to cull the entire population of vervet monkeys, a species that has been labelled as a “nuisance” by locals on the Dutch island.

The Caribbean country of Sint Maarten has approved a controversial plan to cull the entire population of vervet monkeys, a species that has been labelled as a “nuisance” by locals on the Dutch island. However, critics of the plan suggest that instead of killing, sterilisation or neutering might be a better way to handle the rising numbers of the monkey species. The plan to kill hundreds of monkeys comes after farmer complaints that the invasive species were “raiding their crops and destroying their livelihood,” reports Guardian. Watch | Gravitas: CDC accused of importing infected macaques from Cambodia An NGO by the name of Nature Foundation St Maarten which as per its website aims to “preserve and enhance its (St Maarten’s) nature for generations to come” will execute the government-funded plan to capture and euthanise more than 450 monkeys over the next three years. The numbers are from a now-outdated survey carried out in 2020. Sint Maarten’s ministry of tourism, economic affairs, transportation and telecommunication in December approved 100,000NAf ($55,000) in funding per year for the project. Leslie Hickerson, the NGO’s manager, said that it can be difficult to maintain population size control for invasive species as they lack natural predators in the area. Also read | Kenya declares war against millions of birds. Here's why “Species management is an important aspect of keeping the island healthy for those who come after us,” he said. The species which is native to southern and eastern Africa was introduced to the region sometime in the 17th century by European settlers who kept them as exotic pets. Dave Du Toit, founder of the Vervet Monkey Foundation says that the cull is unlikely to work. Also read | AI model rediscovers Australian Bristlebird feared lost since 2020 bushfires His non-profit shelters orphaned and injured primates in South Africa where the species is native. He suggests “vasectomise the males and sterilise the females” would work better. Du Toit also said that research into food disposal practices and the availability of food for wildlife might help in achieving a more harmonious existence between the monkeys and the humans of Sint Maarten. However, yet another suggestion is to capture and relocate the entire monkey population. The proposition has been offered by Eusebio Richardson, a ranger with the Nature Foundation who says that given how fast these monkeys reproduce, relocation might be the only way to “protect the biodiversity of the island”. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Sint Maarten to capture and kill entire population of vervet monkeys. Here's why

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Nainital, Ajay Bhatt has introduced a private member bill in the Lok Sabha on population control which has also been tabled. 
 
It will be discussed along with the facts in the coming days, Bhatt informed. 
 
"Controlling the population is very important, it is increasing alarmingly. Castes, religions, etc should not be of the scale of the population, there should be the same law for everyone, there should be the same boundaries," said Bhatt.

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"I have made an effort to bring a bill in Lok Sabha to control the population because the kind of problems have already occurred and which are going to occur in the future are an alarm for us," he added. 
 
Bhatt continued saying that even the PM has mentioned about population control in one of his speeches.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/india-news/icmr-asks-states-to-do-sero-survey-in-high-risk-populations-to-assess-exposure-to-covid-19-302064" hreflang="en">ICMR asks states to do sero-survey in high-risk populations to assess exposure to COVID-19</a> 
 
"Had the COVID-19 crisis not occurred, we would have witnessed some positive step in this regard. In the next census, we would even cross China`s population in the future according to the experts," he added. 
 
Earlier this week, Union Minister Giriraj Singh had also said that rising population of the country has become a "challenge" and added that "strict laws for the same are required if we want to stand with developed nations".

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Nainital, Ajay Bhatt has introduced a private member bill in the Lok Sabha on population control which has also been tabled.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Nainital, Ajay Bhatt has introduced a private member bill in the Lok Sabha on population control which has also been tabled. It will be discussed along with the facts in the coming days, Bhatt informed. "Controlling the population is very important, it is increasing alarmingly. Castes, religions, etc should not be of the scale of the population, there should be the same law for everyone, there should be the same boundaries," said Bhatt. Also read: India’s Covid-19 cases per lakh population one of the lowest globally: Union health ministry "I have made an effort to bring a bill in Lok Sabha to control the population because the kind of problems have already occurred and which are going to occur in the future are an alarm for us," he added. Bhatt continued saying that even the PM has mentioned about population control in one of his speeches. Also read: ICMR asks states to do sero-survey in high-risk populations to assess exposure to COVID-19 "Had the COVID-19 crisis not occurred, we would have witnessed some positive step in this regard. In the next census, we would even cross China`s population in the future according to the experts," he added. Earlier this week, Union Minister Giriraj Singh had also said that rising population of the country has become a "challenge" and added that "strict laws for the same are required if we want to stand with developed nations".

BJP MP introduces private member bill in lower house on population control

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Saturday claimed that he will retire from politics once a population control law is initiated.&nbsp;

He referred to the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya and population control as the basic tenets of his political career.&nbsp;

"My task to build Ram Temple in Ayodhya has come to an end. The time has come to retire for people like me. I will retire from politics once a rule to control population growth kicks in," the minister said.

Singh, 67, is infamous for making controversial remarks and had strongly favoured legislation to control the population in the country.

The BJP has a policy of not fielding leaders into elections who are older than 75 years. By that logic, he has eight years before his position in the party is invalidated.&nbsp;

In October this month, Singh participated in a yatra organised to spread awareness regarding population control and called for checking it.

Earlier, in January, the minister suggested that certain communities were especially responsible for the population explosion.

(With inputs from ANI)

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Saturday claimed that he will retire from politics once a population control law is initiated. He referred to the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya and population control as the basic tenets of his political career.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Saturday claimed that he will retire from politics once a population control law is initiated. He referred to the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya and population control as the basic tenets of his political career. "My task to build Ram Temple in Ayodhya has come to an end. The time has come to retire for people like me. I will retire from politics once a rule to control population growth kicks in," the minister said. Singh, 67, is infamous for making controversial remarks and had strongly favoured legislation to control the population in the country. The BJP has a policy of not fielding leaders into elections who are older than 75 years. By that logic, he has eight years before his position in the party is invalidated. In October this month, Singh participated in a yatra organised to spread awareness regarding population control and called for checking it. Earlier, in January, the minister suggested that certain communities were especially responsible for the population explosion. (With inputs from ANI)

Will retire from politics as soon as population explosion is curbed: Giriraj Singh

An inverted, red equilateral triangle - a plain, straight-forward design, is the symbol for family planning. But underlying the simplicity of the symbol is a far more complex problem. As per a UN report, India’s burgeoning population is likely to topple China, to take the first place as the world’s most populous country in less than ten years. Should we be worried? Is 1.4+ billion a blessing or a curse? The answer has been changing over time. 
&nbsp; 
Our efforts to curtail our numbers began quite early. We were the first country in the world to launch a national programme for family planning, way back in 1952. And since then there have been many attempts to discourage enthusiastic Indians from procreating. In those days the Post &amp; Telegraph Department released envelopes, that advised us to get in touch with the Family Welfare Centre for a ‘happy married life’.&nbsp;

In the 60’s the government said - ‘ek, do teen…bus’. We will never really know the number of men who were sterilised during the emergency in 1975. And I guess many of us still remember the famous slogan, ‘hum do humare do’, innocuously placed next to a ‘Horn Ok Please’. There have been many schemes, nudging us and sometimes bullying us, to bring down fertility rates. Historically our population has always been a cause for worry. But things changed a few years ago. What was once a problem, became a boon.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The term ‘demographic dividend’, coined by a Harvard demographer called David Bloom, has been used extensively in the recent past to describe our advantageous position vis-a-vis the rest of the world. Half of India is under the age of 25 - young and eager to harness opportunities. Most of the developed nations are facing the fiscal and social challenges of ageing. On the other hand, for us, the youth is our most valuable asset. The expectation is that an abundant labour pool and a dynamic consuming class will keep our economy on a solid growth path, and propel us to great heights.&nbsp; 
 
And just when we were getting lulled into complacency, comfortable with our humungous size, comes a statement by the Prime Minister from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Modi expressed concern over ‘reckless population explosion’ and spoke of the need for control. "Our population, if unchecked, can pose huge challenges for us and our future generations," he said.&nbsp;His statement is significant. Clearly, population is back on the government’s agenda.&nbsp;

As per Bloom, ‘demographic dividend' lasts for about 50 years. We are in a sweet spot right now. There is a lot of optimistic, feel-good talk about the potential of youth, but we need to also be aware of our rapidly increasing numbers. It is time to begin planning for our future.

The present logically demands that we harness the demographic dividend we’ve been gifted. We need to focus on education and opportunity. About 4.75 million people are added to the labour force every year. They need to be trained. We have to invest in our human capital to be able to utilise its potential. What is the point of having all these enthusiastic, young people, eager to work if there are no jobs. Failure to create an enabling environment will be a missed opportunity for India.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The present demands our immediate attention, but we cannot afford to lose sight of the future. Our demographics will change, its only a matter of time. By the second half of the century, the proportion of older persons will increase. We must begin preparing for that now.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The impact of an ageing population is felt across the political, social and economic spectrum. It will come with its own set of pressures. We do not have adequate pension and health insurance schemes. There is no concept of a strong social security net. There will be fiscal and social challenges. There will be mental health issues, cultural challenges of integration, and conflict between generations if the demographic transition is not managed smoothly. It's not going to be easy.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
On the other hand, a growing population will put a strain on our limited resources. The problem is not limited to India. There are going to be around 11 billion of us on planet earth by the end of the century as per the United Nations. All of us scrambling for food, dealing with scarcity of water, grappling with climate change, environmental degradation, poverty, social instability and disease. How are we going to manage.&nbsp;

The significance of Modi’s speech is not lost. The timing is right. Now is the time to be aware of what is coming. Our population is our strength at this moment, but it won’t last forever. Our youth brings us hope for the present. But we need to also start planning for the future.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

An inverted, red equilateral triangle - a plain, straight-forward design, is the symbol for family planning. But underlying the simplicity of the symbol is a far more complex problem.

An inverted, red equilateral triangle - a plain, straight-forward design, is the symbol for family planning. But underlying the simplicity of the symbol is a far more complex problem. As per a UN report, India’s burgeoning population is likely to topple China, to take the first place as the world’s most populous country in less than ten years. Should we be worried? Is 1.4+ billion a blessing or a curse? The answer has been changing over time. Our efforts to curtail our numbers began quite early. We were the first country in the world to launch a national programme for family planning, way back in 1952. And since then there have been many attempts to discourage enthusiastic Indians from procreating. In those days the Post & Telegraph Department released envelopes, that advised us to get in touch with the Family Welfare Centre for a ‘happy married life’. In the 60’s the government said - ‘ek, do teen…bus’. We will never really know the number of men who were sterilised during the emergency in 1975. And I guess many of us still remember the famous slogan, ‘hum do humare do’, innocuously placed next to a ‘Horn Ok Please’. There have been many schemes, nudging us and sometimes bullying us, to bring down fertility rates. Historically our population has always been a cause for worry. But things changed a few years ago. What was once a problem, became a boon. The term ‘demographic dividend’, coined by a Harvard demographer called David Bloom, has been used extensively in the recent past to describe our advantageous position vis-a-vis the rest of the world. Half of India is under the age of 25 - young and eager to harness opportunities. Most of the developed nations are facing the fiscal and social challenges of ageing. On the other hand, for us, the youth is our most valuable asset. The expectation is that an abundant labour pool and a dynamic consuming class will keep our economy on a solid growth path, and propel us to great heights. And just when we were getting lulled into complacency, comfortable with our humungous size, comes a statement by the Prime Minister from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Modi expressed concern over ‘reckless population explosion’ and spoke of the need for control. "Our population, if unchecked, can pose huge challenges for us and our future generations," he said. His statement is significant. Clearly, population is back on the government’s agenda. As per Bloom, ‘demographic dividend' lasts for about 50 years. We are in a sweet spot right now. There is a lot of optimistic, feel-good talk about the potential of youth, but we need to also be aware of our rapidly increasing numbers. It is time to begin planning for our future. The present logically demands that we harness the demographic dividend we’ve been gifted. We need to focus on education and opportunity. About 4.75 million people are added to the labour force every year. They need to be trained. We have to invest in our human capital to be able to utilise its potential. What is the point of having all these enthusiastic, young people, eager to work if there are no jobs. Failure to create an enabling environment will be a missed opportunity for India. The present demands our immediate attention, but we cannot afford to lose sight of the future. Our demographics will change, its only a matter of time. By the second half of the century, the proportion of older persons will increase. We must begin preparing for that now. The impact of an ageing population is felt across the political, social and economic spectrum. It will come with its own set of pressures. We do not have adequate pension and health insurance schemes. There is no concept of a strong social security net. There will be fiscal and social challenges. There will be mental health issues, cultural challenges of integration, and conflict between generations if the demographic transition is not managed smoothly. It's not going to be easy. On the other hand, a growing population will put a strain on our limited resources. The problem is not limited to India. There are going to be around 11 billion of us on planet earth by the end of the century as per the United Nations. All of us scrambling for food, dealing with scarcity of water, grappling with climate change, environmental degradation, poverty, social instability and disease. How are we going to manage. The significance of Modi’s speech is not lost. The timing is right. Now is the time to be aware of what is coming. Our population is our strength at this moment, but it won’t last forever. Our youth brings us hope for the present. But we need to also start planning for the future. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Riding the ups and downs of the population curve

The ever-increasing population in the country has become a big concern for the government.&nbsp;

To counter the rising population the government is planning to launch measures at district levels in various states. &nbsp;

146 districts in the Indian states of UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Meghalaya have a very high rate of population growth.

Bihar tops the list of states with the highest population, while Uttar Pradesh ranks second. Meghalaya lies in the third position.&nbsp;

The Population explosion in these three states has become a serious concern for the government. Here the rate of increase in population is more than 3.1 per cent.

The total fertility rate (TFR) in 24 states in India is 2.1 per cent or less than it. TFR is important for stabilising the population of a state.&nbsp;

The Centre&#39;s measures to keep a check on the population will majorly focus on the 146 districts of these seven states.&nbsp;

The centre has devised a unique plan for each of the states.&nbsp;

The plan will also focus on awarding people of the rising population.&nbsp;

According to sources, the districts with increasing population have more Muslim inhabitants.&nbsp;

146 districts in the Indian states of UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Meghalaya have a very high rate of population growth

The ever-increasing population in the country has become a big concern for the government. To counter the rising population the government is planning to launch measures at district levels in various states. 146 districts in the Indian states of UP, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Meghalaya have a very high rate of population growth. Bihar tops the list of states with the highest population, while Uttar Pradesh ranks second. Meghalaya lies in the third position. The Population explosion in these three states has become a serious concern for the government. Here the rate of increase in population is more than 3.1 per cent. The total fertility rate (TFR) in 24 states in India is 2.1 per cent or less than it. TFR is important for stabilising the population of a state. The Centre's measures to keep a check on the population will majorly focus on the 146 districts of these seven states. The centre has devised a unique plan for each of the states. The plan will also focus on awarding people of the rising population. According to sources, the districts with increasing population have more Muslim inhabitants.

Centre draws district level plan to counter population explosion in country

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