Press Releases

Feeding of monkeys prohibited
Friday, July 30, 1999

Feeding of monkeys and other wild animals at the Lion Rock, Kam Shan and Shing Mun Country Parks, Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve and part of Tai Mo Shan Country Park is prohibited from today (Friday) onwards.

Feeding activities at a section of Tai Po Road near Kowloon Reservoir and along Caldecott Road will also be banned.

In a gazette published today, the Director of Agriculture and Fisheries made the Prohibition of Feeding of Wild Animals Notice under the Wild Animal Protection Ordinance.

Any person contravenes the feeding restriction will be liable to a maximum fine of $10,000 upon conviction.

Speaking on the new arrangement, a spokesman for the Agriculture and Fisheries Department said: "In recent years, there are signs of an unnatural and rapid growth in the population of monkeys and an increase in incidents of nuisances caused by them.

"There are more than 1,000 wild monkeys in Hong Kong and their population is increasing at an annual rate of six to 10 per cent."

During the years from 1996 to 1998, there were over 430 complaints of monkey nuisances, including incidents of public injured by wild monkeys.

The spokesman said human feeding had attracted monkeys to areas popular to visitors, causing not only nuisances to humans but also potential risks to monkeys as these areas were near public road where traffic was heavy.

"A ban on feeding will help wild monkeys revert to foraging natural food in their natural habitat, thus reducing contacts with humans and slowing down the unnatural population growth," he added.

The spokesman noted that notices had been placed at various locations to remind the public not to feed monkeys.