Monkey triggers nationwide blackout across Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka experienced a nationwide power outage on February 10, 2025, which lasted several hours and affected millions across the island. This disruption was attributed to a monkey that came into contact with a grid transformer near the capital, Colombo. The incident resulted in significant power loss, causing many households and essential services to remain without electricity for an extended period while engineers scrambled to restore power. The energy condition in the country, already precarious due to an aging infrastructure, was exacerbated by the power outage, revealing vulnerabilities in the energy grid that have long been acknowledged by experts. Sri Lanka has been grappling with challenges involving its energy sector, particularly as the country struggles to upgrade its outdated infrastructure amidst rising demand for electricity. The energy minister, Kumara Jayakody, indicated that the power grid was under strain, and such disturbances could lead to further island-wide outages in the future. Historically, this situation has worsened over recent years, notably following the fuel shortages encountered during 2022 that led to ongoing rolling blackouts across the nation, which heightened public discontent and necessitated urgent reforms in energy management. Additionally, the country faces an overpopulation issue with its toque macaque monkey population, currently numbering around three million, as reported previously by the government. The situation has led to proposals for exporting a portion of these monkeys to mitigate their growing numbers, which have increasingly posed threats to local agriculture and infrastructure. This monkey incident serves as a stark example of the implications of wildlife overpopulation, reflecting broader environmental and resource management issues in Sri Lanka. The incident has drawn local and international attention to both energy reliability and wildlife management, spurring discussions about the need for comprehensive strategic plans. The monkey's exact condition post-incident remains unclear, but it highlights a broader conversation on human-wildlife interactions in this region where natural ecosystems clash with human infrastructure. Moving forward, it is imperative for the government to address both the energy reliability concerns and the overpopulation of monkeys, as these factors significantly impact the daily lives of Sri Lankan citizens. The recent blackout incident underscores the urgency of taking proactive measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future, ultimately seeking to establish a more balanced coexistence between human development and wildlife management.