The combined crisis of heat and drought has caused a troop of golden-haired long-tailed macaques in Kosumpi Forest Park to invade the community, tearing apart houses and rummaging through garbage for food to sustain themselves due to insufficient natural food sources.
On 27 Apr 2026 GMT+7, reporters noted that scorching temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius have led to drought conditions in Kosumpisai District, Maha Sarakham Province. This has severely impacted the golden-haired long-tailed macaques in Kosumpi Forest Park. As natural food sources began to dwindle and the park lacked sufficient food, many macaques have left the forested area to forage in nearby communities, causing distress among local residents.
The hot weather and drought have affected over 800 golden-haired long-tailed macaques in Kosumpi Forest Park, also known as Bung Ling, located adjacent to Kosumpisai town. This area is a well-known natural tourist attraction in Maha Sarakham Province. The golden-haired long-tailed macaques, the largest population of its kind in Asia, are facing food shortages because natural food and wild fruits have become unavailable. Consequently, the troop has resorted to scavenging through garbage and searching for food under trees in local communities and homes.
Local residents in Kosumpisai municipality revealed that multiple macaque troops live within Kosumpi Forest Park. On days when food is scarce in the park, the monkeys venture out to forage around the outskirts and within communities. This problem intensifies during the dry season due to insufficient natural food, prompting the macaques to search for food along roads, at temples, schools, and residential areas, causing increasing inconvenience.
Kosumpi Forest Park covers about 120 rai and is an important tourist attraction in the province. It is home to both gray and golden-haired long-tailed macaques, with the golden-haired variety found only in this area. The park hosts over 800 golden-haired macaques, the largest population of this type in Asia. Charitable individuals can donate money through the monkey food fund at Kosumpisai District to help provide food for the macaques in Kosumpi Forest Park.
