Photo courtesy of Danau Girang Field Centre
olivia@nst.com.my
Picture courtesy of Danau Girang Field Centre
KOTA KINABALU: Greater public awareness and humane approaches are needed to address human-macaque conflict in Sabah, following growing concerns over the treatment of local macaque populations.
In its Facebook page, Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) contrasting global fascination with a viral baby Japanese macaque, Punch-kun, against the harsh realities faced by long-tailed macaques in Sabah.
Punch-kun is an abandoned baby Japanese macaque (snow monkey) in Japan which went viral fofor clinging to an orangutan plush toy for comfort, a heartwarming story that captivated social media
“The internet went head-over-heels for Punch-kun, the viral baby Japanese macaque.
"But while we ‘boop’ screens for a monkey abroad, our local long-tailed macaques in Sabah face a darker reality," the non-governmental organisation said.
The centre said that macaques in the wild or near settlements are now often seen with missing hands or mangled limbs.
It added that those injuries are usually caused by wire snares and improper cage traps, where limbs get caught in mesh or slammed in doors.
“When a snare tightens around a wrist, it cuts off circulation entirely. The result? A slow, agonising process where the hand necrotises and eventually falls off.
“A macaque without a hand faces a life of struggle — unable to groom properly, climb efficiently, or forage effectively. This isn’t management; it’s cruelty.”
In Sabah, the second most frequent of human-wildlife conflicts is caused by the macaque, which comprises nearly 30 percent of all the conflicts that were handled by the department's for the period 2012 to 2022.
Major areas of the said conflict are in Beaufort, Kuala Penyu, Kota Kinabalu, Kota Belud, Tawau, Lahad Datu and Sandakan.
DGFC said that more humane and sustainable solutions are available to reduce conflict while protecting both communities and wildlife.
Among them are to secure trash in monkey-proof bins and never feed them; instal physical barriers such as netting, window grilles and ‘monkey-guards’ to prevent animals from entering homes and shops without causing harm; also use water sprayers or loud noises to reinforce boundaries.
For long-term management, the centre called for science-based approaches such as habitat protection and sterilisation programmes.
“They aren’t villains; they are neighbours trying to survive in a shrinking world.”
Tags: Sabah, NST, news, macaque, animal, welfare, Danau Girang Field Centre
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