Monkeys spotted rummaging through leftover rice near TreeTop Walk
On Monday morning (18 Aug), a group of long-tailed macaques was spotted scavenging through takeaway boxes along the trail leading to TreeTop Walk, sparking outrage among netizens.
The sight of the monkeys rummaging through discarded food has prompted calls for stricter enforcement and more education to prevent such irresponsible behaviour.
Unclear who fed monkeys leftover rice
46-year-old Ms Serena, a frequent visitor to the nature park, shared a photo of the incident in the Singapore Wildlife Sightings Facebook group later that day.
Source: Tim Tam on Facebook
The image shows two open Styrofoam containers, a red plastic bag, and leftover rice scattered on the ground, with one of the monkeys visibly foraging through the food.
In her post, Ms Serena noted that “irresponsible hikers” had brought rice on their hike and ended up feeding the monkeys.
Speaking to MS News, she shared that she regularly sees monkeys, though she rarely encounters illegal feeding.
She added that she didn’t know who the perpetrators were, as no one was around when she found the macaques.
Ms Serena stressed that nature park visitors should be respectful and avoid feeding wildlife, intentionally or not.
Netizens criticise irresponsible behaviour
Many netizens expressed their outrage over the incident, emphasising the importance of leaving wildlife undisturbed.
One commenter pointed out that such feeding is the reason monkeys start “showing up at [our] doorstep”.
Source: Facebook
Another user questioned whether the hikers had been “ambushed” by the monkeys, to which Ms Serena replied that they should not have brought food to the trail in the first place.
Source: Facebook
Lamenting the behaviour of some individuals who “insist on feeding wildlife”, a netizen encouraged others to help educate them instead of constantly relying on park rangers to intervene.
Source: Facebook
Ms Serena echoed this sentiment, highlighting that education is key to raising public awareness about this issue, in addition to park rangers’ efforts.
Other users also condemned the hikers for littering along the trail.
Feeding wildlife is illegal in Singapore
According to the National Parks Board (NParks), macaques are natural foragers, driven by their curious nature.
Feeding monkeys reduces their instinct to forage for food in the forest, which can have long-term consequences on seed dispersion when they turn to alternative food sources.
NParks advises the public not to feed monkeys and to minimise contact with them.
Under the Wildlife Act, feeding wildlife in Singapore is illegal and can result in a fine of up to S$10,000.
Also read: Man scatters rice outside AMK flat to feed birds, attracts flocks & annoys neighbours
Man scatters rice outside AMK flat to feed birds, attracts flocks & annoys neighbours
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Featured image adapted from Tim Tam on Facebook.
