Separate areas for people, monkeys will help us co-exist

Winnie Yeo Boon Eng Today Online 15 Nov 13;

I wish to highlight an incident, with no intention of blaming either party, that shows the problem of wild monkeys co-existing with humans in a modified natural environment. (“People who feed macaques should be held accountable”; Nov 13)

On Saturday, an elderly man with a backpack fell off the boardwalk between the forest and the water at MacRitchie Reservoir in an attempt to avoid monkeys that appeared to attack him. He had avoided eye contact while walking towards them, as is advisable.

But after two of them approached him aggressively, he moved quickly to the edge of the walkway and missed his footing. The monkeys might not have intended to attack him, but they may have been attracted to his backpack, which could have contained food.

The forest is home to monkeys, but it has also been modified into an environment suitable for human beings. Both parties have as much right to be there. However, peaceful co-existence is now impossible.

The accident would not have happened if the territories for monkeys and humans were clearly defined.

There should be signs to prohibit people from going into the deeper part of the forest, while monkeys should not be permitted to roam the forest edge, which has been modified for human use.

If segregation can be achieved, then similar accidents can be prevented in future.