It is not a harmless act, say authorities
GEORGE TOWN: Visitors to the Penang Botanic Gardens and the Penang City Park (Youth Park) are being warned against feeding monkeys despite the seemingly harmless act.
Penang Botanic Gardens director Nur Syazwani Ismail said instead of foraging in their natural habitat, this practice had led to aggressive monkey behaviour, with attacks on park-goers becoming increasingly common.
“Feeding monkeys is strictly prohibited and there are signboards stating this, but there are still visitors who persist in doing so.
“We can only issue verbal warnings because there are no legal provisions for enforcement on those feeding wild animals,” she said.
A security officer at Penang Botanic Gardens said there had been incidents where visitors were attacked by monkeys searching for food.
“The monkeys would snatch visitors’ backpacks or handbags, thinking there was food in them. They would target easy victims such as children and the elderly,” he said, adding that there was a man who would regularly bring food for the monkeys.
“The monkeys are familiar with him and gather around him for food in the afternoons.
“We have warned him several times, but he has refused to listen and even raises his voice at us,” he said.
Avid hiker GB Tan, 54, recounted her unsettling experience while exercising at the nearby Penang City Park one morning.
“The monkeys would snarl at us and confront us as if we had food in our bags. I have seen food snatched from children and it can be traumatising.
“The wild should stay in the wild. Feeding needs to stop as monkeys should just be left to forage in the forest. We need more enforcement,” she said.
Penang Island City Councillor Quah Boon Lim, who is also the council’s environment health sub-committee chairman, said although Penang City Park was under the council’s jurisdiction, it had no power to act against the feeding of monkeys.
“We can only put up warning signs,” he said.
Penang health committee chairman Daniel Gooi urged the public to stop feeding wildlife to protect the well-being of the community.
“The constant interaction between humans and monkeys increases the risk of disease transmission. This not only puts us at serious risk, but also reduces the population of monkeys in the wild,” he said.
Gooi explained that although feeding might seem harmless or even enjoyable, it came with risks and complications.
“The act of regular feeding can lead to behavioural changes in monkeys.
“They may become dependent on humans, lose their ability to forage and become aggressive towards humans when food is not given.
“Direct contact with monkeys not only can lead to disease transmission, but also food contamination, especially if the monkeys carry pathogens,” he said.
