Monkey Business In Reservoirs
Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 10:18 am
There hasn't been much discussions lately. Lets see ... I came across an article in the papers today with regards to this a/m issue.
Here's the article:
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Home > Most Read Stories
Dec 30, 2007
Monkey business at reservoir continues
By Arti Mulchand
THERE are fines, heaps of signs, and numerous reports about monkeys attacking and feeders and picnicking families for food.
Yet many park-goers are oblivious, and seem to think the National Parks Board is monkeying around when it tells them not to feed the primates that call the reserves around Macritchie and Pierce reservoirs home.
On Sunday, barely five metres from a sign asking visitors to 'Stop feeding the monkeys... Fine $250' at Lower Pierce Reservoir, engineer Joseph Ng hung out with his sister, young niece and nephew, and maid, armed with a bag of bananas and small mandarin oranges.
Within seconds, he was surrounded by at least 15 fiesty long-tailed macaques, demanding to be fed, with yet more bounding over.
This, just a day after this newspaper reported that monkey-feeders were to blame for a horde of monkeys attacking a food-bearing pregnant lady and her toddler.
'It's just a way to entertain the kids... It's only natural for us to feed them,' he said, adding that he did not know feeding the monkeys was an offence. The sign he thought, was just a poster, and the 'fine is too small to read'.
'I didn't see it,' he declared, adamant.
So far this year, 151 people have been caught red-handed and fined. NParks may also up its fine, and rope in security companies to nab more culprits.
Mr Ng was among braver feeders - scores of other park goers were spotted throwing everything from fruit and potato chips to empty crisp packets to the scores of monkeys waiting on the road side from the safety of their cars.
But just as Mr Ng stated that he knew of the danger - and therefore just was more watchful of the primates - a cheeky long-tailed individual jumped up, twice ripping the red plastic bag he was clutching to free the rest of the treats.
According to the experts, feeding the monkeys changes their dietary habits and makes them aggressive when they are denied food.
They search for food outside the forest, recognise vehicles and plastic bags as potential food containers, and often end up invading homes around the nature reserves.
Read the full report in Monday's edition of The Straits Times.
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Here's the article:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Home > Most Read Stories
Dec 30, 2007
Monkey business at reservoir continues
By Arti Mulchand
THERE are fines, heaps of signs, and numerous reports about monkeys attacking and feeders and picnicking families for food.
Yet many park-goers are oblivious, and seem to think the National Parks Board is monkeying around when it tells them not to feed the primates that call the reserves around Macritchie and Pierce reservoirs home.
On Sunday, barely five metres from a sign asking visitors to 'Stop feeding the monkeys... Fine $250' at Lower Pierce Reservoir, engineer Joseph Ng hung out with his sister, young niece and nephew, and maid, armed with a bag of bananas and small mandarin oranges.
Within seconds, he was surrounded by at least 15 fiesty long-tailed macaques, demanding to be fed, with yet more bounding over.
This, just a day after this newspaper reported that monkey-feeders were to blame for a horde of monkeys attacking a food-bearing pregnant lady and her toddler.
'It's just a way to entertain the kids... It's only natural for us to feed them,' he said, adding that he did not know feeding the monkeys was an offence. The sign he thought, was just a poster, and the 'fine is too small to read'.
'I didn't see it,' he declared, adamant.
So far this year, 151 people have been caught red-handed and fined. NParks may also up its fine, and rope in security companies to nab more culprits.
Mr Ng was among braver feeders - scores of other park goers were spotted throwing everything from fruit and potato chips to empty crisp packets to the scores of monkeys waiting on the road side from the safety of their cars.
But just as Mr Ng stated that he knew of the danger - and therefore just was more watchful of the primates - a cheeky long-tailed individual jumped up, twice ripping the red plastic bag he was clutching to free the rest of the treats.
According to the experts, feeding the monkeys changes their dietary habits and makes them aggressive when they are denied food.
They search for food outside the forest, recognise vehicles and plastic bags as potential food containers, and often end up invading homes around the nature reserves.
Read the full report in Monday's edition of The Straits Times.
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