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Following is a question by the Hon Howard Young and a written reply by the the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, (in the absence of Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works) at the Legislative Council meeting today (May 17) :
Question:
It is learnt that wild monkeys often appear in rural areas, especially in the Kam Shan Country Park, and some monkeys even try to snatch the visitors' foods and attack them. As such situation is detrimental to the development of eco-tourism and green tourism, will the Government inform this Council;
(a) of the estimated number of wild monkeys in Hong Kong at present and the locations where they mainly frequent;
(b) of the number of complaints or reports received in the past three years by the departments concerned about nuisances or attacks by monkeys and the follow-up actions taken by the authorities; and
(c) apart from prohibiting the feeding of monkeys in country parks, of the other measures in place to prevent over-proliferation of wild monkeys, confine their scope of activities and prevent them from harming human beings?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) estimates that there are about 1,500 wild monkeys in Hong Kong. They are mainly found in Kam Shan, Lion Rock and Shing Mun Country Parks and the Tai Po Kau Special Area.
(b) In the past three years, AFCD received 352 reports or complaints (126, 98 and 128 cases in 2003, 2004 and 2005 respectively) concerning nuisance or attack by wild monkeys in country parks or special areas. After receiving such complaints or reports, AFCD staff would go to the scene immediately to chase the monkeys away and advise the affected visitors of the techniques to minimise further nuisance caused by monkeys.
(c) Wild monkeys usually stay within woodlands where they live and forage for food. Maintaining sufficient natural food supply in the woodlands could help minimize the chance of wild monkeys foraging outside the woodlands. Each year, AFCD plants about 10,000 food plants in the relevant country parks to enrich natural food resources for monkeys. Besides imposing a ban on feeding of wild monkeys, AFCD has also installed monkey-proof litter bins in country parks to reduce unnatural food source becoming available to wild monkeys. In addition, AFCD is currently conducting contraception trials on wild monkeys to assess whether such a measure could be adopted to contain the monkey population in longer term.
Information on safety precautions and techniques to avoid monkey nuisance are also disseminated to visitors and eco-tour leaders through large notice boards at main entrances of country parks, information pamphlets and booklets.
Ends/Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:09
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