Hong Kong officials fear gangs of monkeys

HONG KONG -- If Longlegged 7's gang should happen upon Bighead's crew, a rumble is sure to follow.

We're not talking about Hong Kong's notorious Chinese triad mobsters.

These colorful villains are monkeys, and they and several other bands of macaques are blamed for frequent bouts of mayhem that officials worry could spin out of control if the animals' numbers keep growing.

Countless nature lovers and hikers say they've been menaced on "Monkey Mountain," the turf of most of Hong Kong's 1,250 monkeys.

The gang leaders are given nicknames like Superman and Kit-kit by animal enthusiasts who illegally give them food -- foiling a government feeding ban intended to push the monkeys deeper into the forest to hunt for something to eat.

Now, the government is trying a contraceptive program that is warmly welcomed by many visitors to the mountain who are decidedly unenthusiastic about the monkeys.

Walks softly, carries stick

"I've been attacked several times," said a frequent hiker, 75-year-old Leung Mun-shing. "Once, a monkey jumped onto me and scratched my shoulder, looking for food."

Anita Fung, a former secretary, said she never goes into the area without a big stick.

William Suen, a photojournalist and animal lover, said it's almost as if the monkeys are rebelling against the authorities. "Some climb on top of the makeshift toilets, shaking and almost overturning them."

Veterinarians from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department recently began a trial sterilization program on a clan of 18 females and several males. After the monkeys are caught, they are given contraceptive injections, ear-notched with microchips for identification and released.

Officials say that the monkeys' sex lives aren't affected by the treatment and that no side effects are expected. It's too early to say if the contraceptives will wear off and let the females have more babies.

Hong Kong's monkey population has been growing 5.5 percent to 10 percent a year. If they keep reproducing freely, there could be 2,000 in five years, officials say.

Many people hope the sterilization will bring some peace to Monkey Mountain.

"It's nice to have a small number of them; it's disgusting to have too many," said Michael Lui, a 67-year-old retired engineer.