Revered as descendents of the Hindu monkey God, the rhesus macaques of Jaipur, India, enjoy a highly privileged status. But, when monsoon rains are delayed by weeks, the monkeys must abandon their cushy lifestyle in a beautiful Hindu Temple for the streets of Jaipur. While a maze of back streets and rooftop labyrinths make Jaipur the ultimate urban jungle, cars, electric wires and one determined monkey catcher make this a dangerous place for the 60-member Galta gang.

In Monkey Thieves, the Galta gang ventures outside their peaceful temple lifestyle into the hectic streets of one of the fastest growing cities in the world. With no drought relief in sight, the monkeys must exploit every advantage they have to survive, whether it is sneaking through open windows or swiping fruit from an unattended grocery cart.

Outside the city the relocated monkeys are still getting to grips with life in the country and facing up to the fact that they are well and truly lost. They think they’ve found home but it turns out to be just a derelict house. Yash and Tito are more at home playing in the crumbling rafters than outside in the woods.

The monsoons finally break and Jaipur’s steamy streets quickly turn to rivers. Everything and everyone is drenched – and the Galta gang are quite happy to play in the puddles. For the littlest monkeys the rain-soaked city is a new world and the slippery cars and overflowing drains present new opportunities for play.