Conflict: Trongsa Dzong, like farmlands in the deep pockets of the country, is enclosed with an electric fence to keep the intruding monkeys at bay.

But the monkeys still get in. The ongoing dzong renovation work has left a portion at the site open. So come the monkeys in groups, climbing over the wall. Some even dare to get in from the main entrance of the dzong. Getting out is no problem for them. They just jump over the fence and are gone.

Dzongkhag officials said that the number of monkeys getting into the dzong has dropped significantly after the electric fencing.

Khangnyer Tshewang Penjor said the dzongdag in the past tried trapping, capturing and relocating the monkeys. It had become a serious problem at one point of time. Monkeys got in and scattered government documents around.

“Monkeys would get in by breaking the window glass with their head,” said Tshewang Penjor. They broke into lhakhangs. There was the risk of monkeys playing with butter lamps. And they would threaten the people inside the dzong and refuse to leave at night.

A woman employee of the dzongkhag said monkeys behave aggressively with women. She shuts herself in her office when monkeys are around.

Sonam Rinchen, a dzongkhag engineer, said the ongoing electric fencing project will be completed next month. “Fencing the renovation site may be delayed for some time.”

This means the monkeys still have some time to loiter in and around the dzong.

Nima Wangdi | Trongsa