The People’s Liberation Army Air Force has spent time and money training macaques — a form of monkey with a shorter tail — to clear the base of nesting birds, and in so doing, keep troops healthy and from harm’s way, the PLA website reported.
The monkeys are predominantly used at a particular base in the northern region of China that happens to be in the migratory path of birds, CNN reported. The swarming of the birds poses a flight hazard for military planes.
“Don’t worry, we now have a secret weapon,” Su Chuang, one high-ranking officer, on the PLA website.
The birds have become quite a problem in recent months, and the PLA has tried a variety of methods to remove them — but to no avail. One such attempt involved climbers using long bamboo poles to topple nests from trees, CNN reported.
But the monkeys actually work, Chinese authorities said. Apparently, when they remove the nests, they leave behind a scent on the trees that repel the birds.
“The monkeys are loyal bodyguards who defend the safety of our comrades,” the PLA said, on its website.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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