Pics: Aishwarya Beejady
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (PS/SB)

Kundapur, Mar 29: Monkey is known to be the ultimate prankster among animals. But here's a person, who has turned the same prank to his advantage and made his profession out of catching these pranksters.

40-year-old Prakash, who resides in Koteswara near here is the solution people from the vicinity and surroundings look at whenever they face trouble from monkeys. He basically hails from Banavara near Arasikere of Hassan and stumbled into the profession after he settled down with his wife and son here. Currently he is carrying out his task in Halealve.

Prakash's Way of Nabbing Culprit

It is very interesting to learn about the hunting methods he takes up. Firstly as a rehearsal he will try to get friendly with the monkeys for a few weeks. He says that he would have to at least wait for 15-20 days to catch monkeys as it is very important to gain their trust. Meanwhile, he makes all the preparations to curb the pranks due to which the people of a particular place where he is doing his job suffer. Soon he puts up a cage and then in front of the cage, he spreads out coconut leaves for about a distance of 50 feet. Bananas and other fruits are placed inside the cage. A thin thread will also be fixed to the door of the cage.

When it is time for execution all he has to do is pull the thread, when the monkey walks towards the cage to take the fruits and there it is trapped. Prakash says that there is a good demand for his job. Catching a monkey fetches him Rs 300 to catch one monkey. The venture has now turned to be his family occupation.

Once caught the monkeys are handed over to the concerned to be released to the free woods.