Growing numbers of monkeys begging for food have prompted residents near the Sitou Nature Education Area in Nantou County’s Lugu Township (鹿谷) to seek help from the county government, as visitors to the park have declined amid a level 3 COVID-19 alert.
A resident who asked to be identified only as A-cheng (阿誠) yesterday said that he and his neighbors thought that the monkeys were afraid of humans.
As long as they ignored them, the animals would find food in the forest, A-cheng said.
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However, since the level 3 restrictions were implemented nationwide on May 19, there have been more macaques roaming the Sitou Forest Recreation Area than humans, he said.
“If I had not seen it myself, I would not have believed that such a thing could happen in Sitou,” he said.
Macaques clamor outside every morning, even tapping on windows and doors asking for food, he said.
He and his family use sticks to chase them off every time they go outside, A-cheng said, adding that other families use fireworks or BB guns for added “firepower” in case they need it.
Another resident asked how they could protect their interests if they cannot harm the animals.
Although the Formosan rock macaque has been removed from the protected species list, the Wildlife Conservation Act (野生動物保育法) has provisions to prosecute people for hunting them, the second resident said.
The Nantou Bureau of Agricultural Affairs said that the issue stems from suspension of tourism to the Sitou Forest Recreation Area.
The macaques are used to nabbing leftovers or food dropped by tourists, not to mention prohibited feeding, the bureau said.
The relationship has changed the foraging habits of macaques, leading to dependence on humans for food, it said.
As towns across Taiwan have reported similar incidents, an issue too large for a local government to solve alone, the bureau said it has called on the central government to convene a meeting to discuss specific measures to handle macaque problems.
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