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[monkeywire] Contraception programme to solve monkey mayhem
- From: gregory nahas <lettherebemonkeys AT yahoo.com>
- To: monkeywire <monkeywire AT lists.ibiblio.org>
- Subject: [monkeywire] Contraception programme to solve monkey mayhem
- Date: Fri, 19 Apr 2002 07:15:55 -0700 (PDT)
Contraception programme to solve monkey mayhem
Hong Kong is introducing a contraception programme to
cope with its rampaging monkey population.
Officials say the 1,250 macaques in the Monkey
Mountain area create traffic hazards, snatch food and
frequently attack hikers.
They operate in gangs of between 30 and 100. Their
leaders have been given nicknames like Longlegged 7,
Superman and Kit-kit.
Hong Kong's monkey population has been growing between
5.5% and 10% a year.
The government blames animal lovers for foiling a
feeding ban intended to push monkeys deeper into the
forest to hunt for something to eat.
Vets from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation
Department have already begun a trial programme on a
clan of 18 females and several males.
Caught monkeys are given contraceptive injections,
ear-notched with microchips for identification and
released the same day.
Officials say the monkeys' sex lives aren't affected
and no side effects are expected. It's too early to
say if the contraceptives will wear off.
The contraceptive programme has been welcomed by many
visitors to the mountain. Frequent hiker, 75-year-old
Leung Mun-shing, said: "I've been attacked several
times. Once, a monkey jumped onto me and scratched my
shoulder, looking for food."
But some are opposed to contraception. Linuce Lam, a
40-year-old engineer, who takes his son to feed the
monkeys from his car, said: "It just goes against
nature - there shouldn't be any control."
Story filed: 16:26 Thursday 18th April 2002
http://www.ananova.com/yournews/story/sm_570065.html
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- [monkeywire] Contraception programme to solve monkey mayhem, gregory nahas, 04/19/2002
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