Nearly 100 Monkeys Escape Lopburi Sanctuary
Nearly 100 monkeys escaped a wildlife sanctuary in Lopburi on June 30, with authorities launching recapture operations across multiple locations after the animals entered local homes seeking food and relief from heat and stress.
Nearly 100 Lopburi monkeys broke out of their enclosure and entered local homes, likely driven by heat, hunger, stress, and desire for freedom. Authorities mobilized to recapture them using tranquilizer darts and baited traps at multiple locations.
On June 30, 2025, Samruan Sachaphop, mayor of Lopburi City Municipality, received a report from staff at the municipal animal nursery in Pho Kao Tom subdistrict that monkeys held in the Department of National Parks' care had escaped their enclosure. Nearly 100 monkeys got out, though officials prevented over 1,000 remaining in the same cage from fleeing further. The mayor immediately ordered staff and relevant agencies to recapture the escaped monkeys quickly to prevent public disturbance and trouble for residents.
Veeraphong Rit Rod, Lopburi's provincial governor, traveled to the site with district officials, the municipality, the Department of National Parks, the provincial Dharma Center, and the livestock office to coordinate a capture plan. Officials conducted capture operations across multiple locations and successfully brought back some monkeys. Simultaneously, another team repaired the damaged enclosure.
Governor Veeraphong revealed that the municipality's disaster prevention staff, working with the Department of National Parks, launched capture operations and reinforced the broken section of the enclosure. Some escaped monkeys have been recaptured, while others still roam the surrounding area. Long-term solutions include upgrading to a stronger, double-layered enclosure that monkeys cannot break through. The province is also establishing a foundation to manage the monkeys' diet and living conditions.
Mayor Samruan explained that recapture operations are ongoing, with some monkeys returning voluntarily and others requiring active capture. The animals escaped due to heat, hunger, stress, and desire for freedom. Officials will return all escaped monkeys to their enclosure as quickly as possible without disturbing residents. The municipality apologizes to affected residents and urges them to report any damage so officials can provide compensation.
