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  Straits Times Online 9 Oct 06
Don't feed monkeys, it does them harm
Reply from Sharon Chan (Ms)
Assistant Director, Central Nature Reserve National Parks Board

Straits Times Online 7 Oct 06
Monkey havoc: Man, not animals, the real culprit
Letter from Anthony Lee Mui Yu

Straits Times Online 5 Oct 06
Monkeys in nature reserve not a threat to people
Letter from Mrs Jackie Phillips

Straits Times Online 5 Oct 06
Monkeys in parks are becoming more aggressive
Letter from Felix Wong Soon Huat

Straits Times Online 4 Oct 06
Step up patrols to stop people feeding the monkeys
letter from Anthony Lee Mui Yu

Straits Times Online 3 Oct 06
Monkeys creating havoc in Windsor Park estate
letter from Dr Reuben Wong Kong Min

Straits Times 1 Oct 06
Undergrad suffers brain injury after monkeys cause crash
by Nur Dianah Suhaimi

Straits Times Forum 27 Sep 06
Take action on motorists who feed monkeys at Upper Peirce Reservoir
Letter from Ng Yannyann (Mdm)

ON WEEKENDS at Upper Peirce Reservoir, there are lots of cars parked and admiring how cute the monkeys are and feeding them biscuits, oranges, potato crisps and so on. Despite huge signboards placed all over the road, these are ignored.

This thoughtless act endangers the monkeys' lives as they have grown to equate cars with food so they run across the road and sit in the middle of the road begging for hand outs.

Last Sunday, I saw a monkey become aggressive towards a picnicker as it tried to seize her plastic bag of goodies.

It is not the monkeys' fault if they are given food. One can only blame parents who encourage their children to act so stupidly.

I hope the authorities will monitor this situation and take action against thoughtless motorists before it is too late.

Also, teach children in school to respect nature and not change it.

Straits Times 1 Oct 06
Undergrad suffers brain injury after monkeys cause crash
by Nur Dianah Suhaimi

AN UNDERGRADUATE in a private institution, Kelvin Low was just months away from getting his degree and had already started searching for a job. Now, the 26-year-old is lying in hospital and possibly suffering from permanent brain damage after being seriously injured in a road accident caused by a pair of monkeys.

Since the accident two months ago, he has been treated at three different hospitals, racking up medical bills in excess of $40,000, said the victim's cousin, Mr Johnny Leong. Mr Low is not insured. His father died 14 years ago after a heart attack and it is likely that his secretary mother, who wanted to be known only as Madam Poon, will have to bear the full cost of his care.

Mr Low, also known as Kit, and his classmate, Mr Guo Jin Wang, were driving along Old Upper Thomson Road on July 31 when two monkeys leapt in front of their van. Mr Guo, who was driving, swerved to avoid hitting the animals, but the van skidded on the wet road, plunged down a grassy slope and crashed into a tree.

The passenger side of the van, where Mr Low was sitting, bore the full impact of the crash. Photographs of the van taken later showed the cabin on the passenger's side as being badly crushed. The driver's side escaped serious damage and Mr Guo sustained only minor injuries.

However, the impact of the crash left Mr Low with a crushed cheekbone, a badly fractured hip and, worst of all, brain trauma. For two weeks, he was in a coma. The following week he was drifting in and out of consciousness. When he finally came to, his behaviour was far from normal. He was often disoriented and irrational and sometimes babbled incoherently. His leg would shake so vigorously and uncontrollably that he had to be restrained. Once, he even threw punches at his friends.

Complicating matters further, he has contracted a bacterial infection which makes him suffer constant fevers and requires him to be placed in isolation. Doctors at Mount Elizabeth Hospital expect the infection to last another six weeks.

After that, he is scheduled to undergo more surgery to repair his cheekbone. Each day at the hospital costs at least $2,000, said Mr Leong. 'Close relatives have chipped in some money to help pay for the medical bills but it might not be enough,' said Mr Leong. 'We don't even know if his condition will improve three months from now.'

Straits Times Online 3 Oct 06
Monkeys creating havoc in Windsor Park estate
letter from Dr Reuben Wong Kong Min

I REFER to the article, 'Undergrad suffers brain injury after monkeys cause crash' (ST, Oct 1).

I have lived in Windsor Park estate on the fringe of the nature reserve along Upper Thomson Road for 13 years and I'm used to visiting iguanas, snakes and the odd hornbill. The occasional grey-tailed monkey used to drop by as well.

But I notice a vast increase in the primate population in the past two years. They roam the estate in groups of up to 20. It is not uncommon to find the monkeys rampaging the estate and turning over dustbins.

The monkeys have become so aggressive that they enter the house, open cupboards, steal food and soil the premises. In one incident, a primate entered the kitchen, lifted a loaf of bread out of the bread-bin and without provocation, charged at one of my family members.

I can also empathise with Mr Kelvin Low as I was once forced to take evasive action as well by some monkeys that were brawling on the road.

I had communicated with the National Environment Agency and was advised that monkey traps would be set up to capture them. I was also told that the root of the problem lies in the public feeding the monkeys around Upper and Lower Peirce Reservoir despite the signs warning against this.

Years of public feeding and ready food supplies have allowed the monkey population to balloon. Efforts to clamp down on feeding and trap them have resulted in the primates moving out of the reservoir parks to look for food in populated areas.

Several months have passed since I was assured that the matter was being looked into.

As a father with two young children, I am concerned about their safety. Although monkeys are generally harmless, I cannot say this of the grey-tailed species that has migrated into my estate and taken up residence.

I urge the authorities to take urgent action to resolve this problem.

Straits Times Online 4 Oct 06
Step up patrols to stop people feeding the monkeys
letter from Anthony Lee Mui Yu

It saddened but didn't surprise me to read the report 'Undergrad suffers brain injury after monkeys cause crash' (Sunday Times, Oct 1). Mr Kelvin Low was in a coma and suffered brain trauma and fractures after the van he was in skidded to avoid monkeys that 'leapt in front of their van'. His family is hard-pressed to pay medical expenses exceeding $40, 000.

It was an accident waiting to happen as recalcitrant people stop their vehicles along Old Upper Thomson Road fringing Peirce Reservoir to feed the monkeys.

Whether motivated by compassion or fascination, these people delude themselves that they're helping the monkeys.

The Traffic Police and nature authorities should patrol this stretch road to stop this. If not, close this little-used road.

Straits Times Online 5 Oct 06
Monkeys in nature reserve not a threat to people
Letter from Mrs Jackie Phillips

I refer to the article "Monkeys creating havoc in Windsor Park estate" (ST, Oct 3). I also live on the fringe of the nature reserve at Windsor Park estate.

My family love living here because of the abundance of wildlife such as monkeys, snakes, birds and lizards. We choose to live close to the edge of the nature reserve. We know that we run the risk of wildlife visiting our garden, but it is precisely this natural environment that we want.

When I told my six-year-old daughter that a resident would like the monkeys captured, she was horrified and asked: "Isn't that why we choose to live in a place like this, so that we can enjoy the wildlife?"

We have up to 16 monkeys visiting our garden twice a day to eat the berries in the trees. It is an incredible and rewarding experience to allow your children to have this interaction with wildlife.

The monkeys do not give me cause to worry about the safety of my young children. The monkeys that visit our garden are the same monkeys that can be seen around the Ranger's Station in McRitchie reservoir. I do not think we should set up traps to catch them.

We are the ones who have brought the monkeys out of the jungle and we must show them that there is no food outside for them.

Rather than capturing the monkeys, we should take responsibility for the monkeys' behavior. There are many fruit trees in the jungle but they come to the houses because food have been made easily available for them.

I have seen people going regularly to the edge of the reserve at Windsor Park estate to feed the monkeys. I have told them not to do this but they keep returning to do it.

We need to put up signs in these areas to tell people to refrain from feeding the monkeys.

As residents, we need to be more proactive. Make sure the lids of our rubbish bins are secured properly. Tie up the refuse bags and put them in the bins. We need to tell the residents to keep their kitchen doors closed.

We need to be vigilant and tell people to stop feeding the monkeys.

There are many green areas in Singapore where wildlife do not pose a threat to people. Windsor Park estate is one of these areas and this is what makes it unique.

Straits Times Online 5 Oct 06
Monkeys in parks are becoming more aggressive
Letter from Felix Wong Soon Huat

I refer to the letter "Monkeys creating havoc in Windsor Park estate" by Dr Reuben Wong (ST, Oct 3) and would like to share my own experiences.

I have seen the long-tailed macaque colonising the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Bukit Batok Nature Park and many of the catchment areas over the years.

A visit to these places has to be done with extra caution, especially when we bring children on such trips.

The monkeys gather in groups and they are aggressive. They pose a threat to visitors in the park. They make a visit to the parks an unpleasant experience.

I used to walk along the trails of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve without fear of meeting these macaques. Now I need to keep a watchful eye on these primates.

Many years ago, I brought my young children to the Bukit Batok Nature Park for an outing. We had a harrowing experience when two monkeys ransacked the stroller. Fortunately, our child was safe in our hands.

On another occasion, my sister and my family were chased by a monkey that suddenly descended from a tree. Not too long ago, my friend told me of a terrified child being chased by a monkey while walking at the boardwalk of MacRitchie Reservoir.

I'm sure there are many such incidences that park visitors can identify with. These are the places where I see more monkeys looking for food and they pose a threat to people: The Rifle Range road entrance to the MacRitchie trail, Bukit Batok Nature Park, the road to the car park of Upper Peirce Reservoir, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and some parts of the boardwalk at MacRitchie Reservoir.

The relevant authorities should take a more proactive approach in dealing with the monkeys that have turned aggressive or taken a liking to food from people.

This will ensure that the nature reserves and parks remain a safe place for people to explore and unwind. Do not wait till an accident or a fatality occurs to take action.

Straits Times Online 7 Oct 06
Monkey havoc: Man, not animals, the real culprit
Letter from Anthony Lee Mui Yu

The storm in a teacup over monkeys has those inconvenienced up in arms at the wrong primate.

It's the monkey-in-the-man troublemaker, not the monkey that's the problem.

Here's the injustice: Man tempts animal. Animal associates man with food. Animal threatens man for food. Animal is judged and sentenced.

Those who feed the monkeys have taught them to behave unnaturally to expect food from people. And then the animals get a bad press for being dangerous 'pests'.

Straits Times Online 9 Oct 06
Don't feed monkeys, it does them harm
Reply from Sharon Chan (Ms)
Assistant Director, Central Nature Reserve National Parks Board

I REFER to the letter, 'Monkeys creating havoc in Windsor Park estate' (ST, Oct 3) and thank Dr Reuben Wong for his feedback.

The root cause of the problem indeed lies in people feeding the monkeys around Upper and Lower Peirce reservoirs.

Feeding is often perceived wrongly as an act of kindness. In fact, it harms the monkeys.

Monkeys have sufficient food in the nature reserves.

Feeding them changes their dietary habits and makes them aggressive. They start to search for food outside the forest and often end up invading the homes that fringe the nature reserves.

When monkeys become a persistent nuisance, we have to resort to the unpleasant option of trapping them and putting them to sleep. We have trapped monkeys in the Windsor Park residential area and will continue to do so.

To help people and monkeys coexist harmoniously, the National Parks Board has put up signs and circulated pamphlets to explain the consequences of feeding monkeys, and made feeding an offence.

In addition, we have installed cameras in some areas to deter feeding. If need be, we issue warnings and fine offenders.

We have also installed monkey-proof dustbins in the residential areas around the nature reserves.

But all these measures are not effective unless the public understand the consequences of feeding monkeys.

If you really care for these lovely animals, please stop feeding them.

For further feedback, the public are welcome to contact our QSM (Quality Service Manager) helpline on 1800-471-7300.
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