Fake guns help farmers keep army of simians at bay

A carpenter turned inventor’s ‘fake gun’ without a trigger has become a rage among farmers in the hinterland.

Carpenter Gopal Achari’s fake gun has come as a ray of hope for farmers who are at their wits end after exhausting all means to prevent the army of monkeys from raiding their arecanut and coconut plantations.

In fact, the means of preventing monkeys from plundering their coconut plantations has always been a favourite theme on many farmers groups on social media.

Many farmers had used devices like laser torch and scarecrows with little success. A farmer in Guruvayankere even caught a baby monkey in order to send a strong message to the invading monkeys. “But that too had no impact,” rued the farmer.

Another farmer, Dinesh from Karimanelu in Beltangady taluk, had even used the air gun when the monkeys invaded his coconut plantation located on the periphery of the forest.

“When the air gun too had no impact, I lost interest in farming,” recollects Dinesh.

Gopal Achari, a carpenter with 35 years of experience, decided to help his neighbour Dinesh and designed the fake gun.

“The fake gun scared the daylights of the monkeys and now I need to just flash the fake gun and the monkeys take to their heels,” informs Dinesh, flashing a broad smile.

Gopal Achari says his fake gun is so safe and simple, even a housewife can use it.

After filling the barrel with pebbles, a cracker is placed in a groove located at the beginning of the barrel.

“The simple Beedi cracker explodes with a deafening sound. More than the sound, it is the pebbles that make the monkeys wince in pain,” said Dinesh.

The pebbles strike their target, even if monkeys are located at a distance of about 100 ft, said Dinesh.

Gopal Achari says even Venur Range Forest Officer (RFO) has been recommending his fake gun to farmers facing monkey menace as it does not inflict a disabling wound or kill the simian.

The fake gun priced between Rs 2,500 and Rs 3,500 (high-end models have brass plates) seems to be an effective tool until monkeys learn to adapt to it.