PETALING JAYA, March 12 — The dwindling number of tourists amid the Covid-19 outbreak has brought about a turf war for monkeys in the city of Lopburi in central Thailand.

Desperate to fill their hungry stomachs, monkeys that stay in the vicinity of the temples have ventured to more populated areas within the city in their search for food, reported Daily Mail.

A video circulating on social media showed the desperation of the animals after a whole troop descended on a single monkey that managed to get a banana.

Bangkok Post cited that Lopburi has been home to thousands of monkeys with the temple monkeys controlling the Phra Prang Sam Yod area, while the rest inhabit the immediate city area.

The two rival packs do not usually encroach on each other’s territories.

Local Thai bystander, Sasaluk Rattanachai managed to capture images and short video clips of the incident, showing the effect of a shortage of food supply.

In one of the short video clips, cars also stopped and unable to pass with the commotion.

The monkeys are also seen to be entering shop houses and sitting on fences at the roadside.