Monkey mums fled with their young amid a crackdown on macaques in Lopburi, Thailand.

Footage shows a macaque troop crossing electric cables to escape wildlife officers trying to lure them into cages in the notorious primate-overridden town on June 8.

Residents said the exodus was triggered as the clever animals recognised personnel who detained the other members of their troop.

A local vendor said: 'We were all shocked because there used to be just a few monkeys roaming around at a time. But this time, there were dozens of them. They were screeching, like they were startled and fleeing from something.'

Officials said that around 747 macaques have been captured as of June 8.

Lopburi has become a popular tourist destination because of its large population of monkeys. The monkeys are mostly long-tailed macaques, and they can be found all over the city, from the temples to the streets.

However, they can also be aggressive, and they have been known to steal food and belongings.