10
MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1994
PUBLIC URGED NOT TO FEED MONKEYS
MONKEYS
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE STRONGLY ADVISED NOT TO FEED AT THE KOWLOON HILLS TO AVOID BEING ATTACKED BY THESE WILD ANIMALS.
THE ADVICE CAME FROM THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT'S CONSERVATION OFFICER DR SO PING-MAN FOLLOWING LAST SATURDAY'S INCIDENT MONKEY NEAR IN WHICH A WOMAN WAS ATTACKED AND SLIGHTLY INJURED BY A THE SHEK LEI PUI RESERVOIR.
WILD
GET
DR SO SAID: "IT IS DANGEROUS FOR VISITORS, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN,
ANIMALS FEED THE MONKEYS BECAUSE THESE AGGRESSIVE AND HURT PEOPLE IN THEIR CHASE FOR FOOD."
TO
CAN EASILY
**
AT CERTAIN
FEEDING OF MONKEYS MAY LEAD TO THEIR CONGREGATION AREAS, THEREBY CAUSING INCONVENIENCE AND DANGERS TO OTHER VISITORS, HE SAID.
IF NOT NEARBY
"IT IS A MISCONCEPTION THAT MONKEYS WOULD GO HUNGRY
THE FROM BEING FED. INDEED THESE ANIMALS CAN OBTAIN FOOD FOREST BY FEEDING ON ABOUT 100 DIFFERENT PLANT SPECIES," DR SO SAID.
SMALL
AT PRESENT, MOST OF THE RHESUS MONKEYS THERE USE ONLY A
SOURCES, PORTION OF THE AVAILABLE FOREST AREA, ITS NATURAL FOOD THEY HAVE BEEN FED BY FREQUENT FEEDERS AND VISITORS.
DR SO POINTED OUT THAT THE CONTINUED FEEDING OF MONKEYS AT KOWLOON HILLS WOULD HAVE TWO CONSEQUENCES.
AS
THE
FIRST, MANY
FEAR OF THE MONKEYS HAVE LOST THEIR
THREATENING AGGRESSIVE, THEM
AND CHASING FOR
OF HUMANS, FOOD FROM
MAKING VISITORS.
SECONDLY, THE LARGE QUANTITY OF FOOD FED TO THESE WILD WOULD MAKE THEIR POPULATION GROW RAPIDLY.
ANIMALS
HE NOTED THAT THE MONKEY POPULATION IN HONG KONG NOW STOOD ABOUT 800, OF WHICH 700 LIVED NEAR THE KOWLOON HILLS.
AT
DR
SO ALSO GAVE SEVERAL SAFETY HINTS TO PEOPLE KOWLOON HILLS:
VISITING THE
* DO NOT FEED MONKEYS THERE;
*DO NOT LET SMALL CHILDREN GO CLOSE TO MONKEYS;
* DO NOT STARE AT OR ATTEMPT TO TOUCH MONKEYS;
* DO NOT THROW FOOD OR OBJECTS AT MONKEYS; AND
RAPID MOVEMENTS OR LOUD
NOT
* DO
MONKEYS.
MAKE
NOISE
IN FRONT
OF
/11