The once peaceful Son Tra Peninsula in Da Nang, a popular tourist destination known for its lush tropical rainforest, has become a hotspot for conflict between humans and wildlife.
Over the years, the region’s monkeys, including the endangered red-shanked douc langurs and other primates, have grown dangerously accustomed to receiving food from visitors.
This dependency on humans for sustenance has caused a rise in aggressive behavior, as the monkeys now demand food and even snatch it from tourists when denied.
Escalating conflicts between monkeys and visitors
In recent months, tourists visiting popular spots such as Linh Ung Pagoda and the Intercontinental Resort have reported being surrounded by groups of monkeys eager to grab food. The once shy animals have become bold, darting toward visitors and sometimes resorting to aggression when food is not offered.
The Da Nang Forest Protection Department attributes this to the monkeys' adaptation to being fed by humans, leading to a significant change in their behavior.
“Monkeys have learned to expect food from humans. When they don’t get it, conflicts arise, and the animals can become aggressive,” a department spokesperson stated.
Tran Huu Vy, Director of GreenViet Center for Biodiversity Conservation, explains that this problem is rooted in the encroachment of human activity into the monkeys' natural habitat.
“Human interference has altered the monkeys' behavior. Feeding them not only disrupts their natural foraging habits but also makes them more aggressive when food is not provided,” Vy said.
The long-term consequences of this shift in behavior are troubling. As generations of monkeys lose the instinct to forage for food, their reliance on human handouts increases, making conservation efforts more difficult and costly.
A growing concern for local residents
Experts are concerned that the problem could worsen if left unchecked. There are already reports of monkeys expanding their range, venturing into nearby residential areas such as Tho Quang and Man Thai, where they disturb households by rummaging through food supplies and even causing property damage. Vy draws attention to the case of Cù Lao Chàm, where monkeys have been known to enter homes, upend altars, and disrupt daily life.
Vy and other experts believe that public awareness campaigns are not enough to address the issue. "We need stricter regulations to prevent humans from feeding the monkeys and littering in areas where the animals forage," Vy suggested.
He also recommended relocating monkeys that have become too reliant on humans to wildlife rehabilitation centers, where they can be retrained to survive in the wild.
In response, Da Nang’s Department of Tourism has stepped up efforts to educate visitors. Tour operators and guides are now required to inform tourists about the dangers of feeding wild animals and the harm it causes to the ecosystem.
The department has also called on the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to implement fines for those caught feeding wildlife.
Despite these efforts, progress has been slow. In the first eight months of 2024, nearly 1,500 tourists were warned not to feed the monkeys. Yet, without formal penalties in place, the behavior persists when no officials are present.
Vy emphasizes that time is of the essence. "If we delay, we risk losing the opportunity to resolve this issue before it spirals further out of control," he warned.
He urged the local government to introduce penalties for littering and feeding wildlife on the peninsula, as part of a broader plan to restore balance to the environment and protect both humans and animals.
Dieu Thuy
Vietnamnet.vn
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