Monkeys, Humans Fight Over Drinking Water Monkeys, Humans Fight Over Drinking Water March 21, 2000 Tervil Otieno Okoko PANA Correspondent NAIROBI, Kenya (PANA) - A drama ensued at a small trading centre on Kenya's northern frontier Monday when thirsty monkeys and starving villagers clashed over drinking water, leaving eight apes killed and 10 people wounded in a two-hour duel, the Daily Nation reported Tuesday. The trading centre, located 600 km north of Nairobi in the dry neighbourhood of the Somali desert, is home to nomadic tribes that have been scavenging for food and water since drought struck there six months ago. Most of them have been surviving on relief food. The duel started after three water tankers bringing in water from neighbouring Elwak town to the drought-stricken area arrived at the trading centre. The monkeys, who noticed the precious liquid being consumed by the humans, attacked the villagers who had gathered around the tankers to draw the water. The clawing and biting creatures forced the villagers to flee for help as the monkey took to quenching their thirst. A local councillor, Ibrahim Mohammed Alike, who witnessed the encounter, said the villagers later regrouped and armed themselves with axes and machetes and counter- attacked. But the monkeys fought back fiercely, he added. People injured in the fight were treated at the local Takaba dispensary. Locals said an acute shortage of water in the district has forced wild animals to roam out of their usual habitat to look for the commodity in villages. It was not unusual to see animals such as gazelles, hares and monkeys wandering the villages in search of water, they said. Villagers said they have compounded fears that more dangerous animals like elephants, lions and leopards could soon attack them while on similar errands. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 2000 Panafrican News Agency. All Rights Reserved.