Last weekend, local residents and shopkeepers huddled around a tree in Fort Kochi. They were drawn by an unusual sight: a macaque cuddling a kitten.
Moments later, the monkey, clearly not impressed with the attention, carried the kitten higher into the branches as if the little one was its baby.
These cuteness-overload scenes, captured by TNIE lensman T P Sooraj, soon went viral. And the macaque has turned into “a local star”.
For residents of Fort Kochi, however, the monkey is no stranger. It has been a regular presence in the area, hopping through the trees and occasionally strolling along the roads.
At Vasco da Gama Square and Nehru Park, near the Fort Kochi walkway, the macaque can often be spotted moving through the trees or
wandering around the neighbourhood.
“This monkey is a regular here. There are more in the area,” says Stanley, an autorickshaw driver near the Fort Kochi bus stand.
But there emerges a curious question: Where did the monkeys come from?
Fort Kochi is part of an island cluster, connected to the mainland by bridges and boats. There is no corridor linking it to the wooded areas of the district.
Stanley believes they come aboard vegetable or fruit lorries headed to the Mattancherry bazaar.
A corporation official explains that monkeys occasionally climb onto vehicles in search of food when lorries stop near forest stretches or checkposts.
“Sometimes, they may remain aboard when the vehicles move on, ending up far from their natural habitat,” he says, requesting anonymity.
“With vegetable and fruit lorries regularly supplying vendors at Mattancherry market, such unexpected passengers are likely.”
The official adds another theory. “Some of our employees from the area believe monkeys may have arrived long ago, when interstate lorries brought in construction material for bridges and pipelines,” he says.
“Then, there is also the possibility of monkeys escaping from the captivity of nomadic street circus groups.”
Local residents are only glad to welcome such unexpected visitors.
Mohammad Shabeer, who runs a hotel near Delta School in Fort Kochi, says monkeys are spotted even near residential localities in Mattancherry as well.
If at all they get naughty, at most they would whisk a packet of bread or chips from local shops. And no one has any complaints about it.
“People here are friendly. Sometimes they feed the monkeys fruits and snacks. Maybe that’s why these monkeys stay around,” he smiles. “We have also spotted peacocks near the Bishop House.”
Former Kochi mayor and historian K J Sohan echoes the explanations above. “Even though it is part of an island cluster, the Fort Kochi region is generally lush green with a good number of rain trees,” he adds.
“The dense canopy provides a haven for monkeys. It’s rare to have greenery like this in urban spaces. Moreover, the people here are friendly. So, it is a good environment for monkeys. Areas like the compound of Bishop House and INS Dronacharya are ideal spaces for such animals.”
Well, the ‘star’ monkey has found its place among Fort Kochi’s local characters. And, thanks to the viral encounter, she may soon be among its tourist attractions too.
PS: Though our lensman Sooraj has been trying to track the kitten, the little one’s fate remains unknown.
