THE authorities have issued a warning about the growing number of aggressive monkeys in the Angkor Wat area, and have urged the public to avoid feeding or interacting with them.
“Recently, the number of monkeys in the Angkor Archaeological Park has increased significantly,” said the Apsara National Authority (Ana) in a Feb 4 press release.
“The regular feeding of a small group of individuals for the purpose of producing video content has altered the monkeys’ natural behaviour, turning them into aggressive scavengers which may injure humans as they try to take food,” said Ana.
The agency urged members of the public to help spread awareness and refrain from activities that could further exacerbate the primate problem.
This includes domestic and international tourists, tour guides and tourism operators in Siem Reap.
Long Kosal, an Ana spokesman, confirmed that monkey “attacks” were becoming more frequent.
“There are no exact figures, but some individuals have sustained injuries, including torn skin, while others have had their food stolen,” Long said. — The Phnom Penh Post/ANN