University to conclude workshop on "baboons' problems in the Kingdom.
The participants of the workshop on "baboons' problems in the Kingdom" have recommended the need to establish centers specialized in studying monkeys in areas where problems which are caused by monkeys exist in the Kingdom, in addition to encouraging research centers to study monkeys' problems. The recommendation came at the conclusion of the "baboons' problems in the Kingdom" workshop, which was organized by the Wildlife Authority and hosted by King Khalid University, from 18 to 19 of the month of Safar 1437 AH, and which took place in the Central stands at the University City in Abha.
The sessions of the Workshop came out with several important recommendations such as the need to legitimate opinion of the competent authority to get rid of the monkeys, and develop research programs plans to increase knowledge and understanding of the domesticated baboons. In addition, the session suggested urging the institutes and research centers to encourage masters and doctoral degrees students to participate in studies of monkeys' problems in the Kingdom. The Ministry of Health has to participate in addressing such problems, by making regulations and legislation to control animal feeding, with a review of the existing Laws, and the prevention of the domestication of baboons.
Yesterday, the participants paid field visits to baboons' havens in Abha. The closing session of the workshop was held in the presence of the Vice - President for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Dr. Majid Al-Harbi, who honored participants in the workshop.
In the second session of the workshop, the participants discussed several points across three lectures presented by a number of interested parties, and representatives of a number of government agencies that have a relationship to the problem of domestication of monkeys. In the beginning of the session, Dr. Haitham Niazi pointed out to the reasons why baboons spread in the Sarawat mountains. In his turn, the representative of the Ministry of Agriculture, Engineer Abdul Wahab Al-Jarallah, discussed the impact of monkeys' problems on the agricultural sector. There was also Dr. Mohammed Zafar Islam, who presented a study about the reflection of the deterioration of the number of natural predators to increase monkeys' problems. The session was concluded by Professor Ahmed Albooq, who asked for a number of short and long-term solutions about the problems of monkeys in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
It is noteworthy that the Saudi Commission for Wildlife has already conducted a survey on the population of monkeys'. The Survey concluded the existence of between 250 to 350 monkeys, heavily-faring groups of farms estimated at 17%, and 14% faring groups are less dense. Domesticated groups on public roads and waste locations reached 4% while wild and groups that do not harm represent 65% of the baboons.
The workshop coordinator Mohammed Albooq had put some available solutions to the problems of the monkeys in the short term, such as surgical sterilization processes, chemotherapy for the adult male, and chemotherapy for the adult female. Mr. Albooq confirmed that these short term solutions have succeeded for a period of not less than 5 years through a field follow-up. Regarding the long-term solutions, he suggested activating the role of supporting systems by issuing and support systems, and follow up their implementation in waste protection, and to stop the logging, and to limit the use of pasture, as well as to ban the feeding of monkeys in the vicinity of population centers.
