Monkeys spotted in urban Beijing

Recently, some people have spotted monkeys in Tongzhou and Haidian Districts in China's capital city Beijing.

On November 4, a netizen photographed monkeys appearing in Tongzhou District. On November 6, another netizen claimed to have seen monkeys near the University of Science and Technology Beijing and the western gate of Peking University.

A citizen surnamed Ni said she saw the monkey at around 7:50 a.m. on November 6 in Zhongguancun, Haidian District. "The monkey crossed the road without looking at the traffic, scaring a lot of people," she said.

According to Sun Quanhui, a member of the World Animal Protection, there are no wild primates in Beijing, and if citizens found monkeys moving around in urban areas, they are mostly captive monkeys. "Captive monkeys are not afraid of people, so it is better not to chase or feed them," Sun said.

The appearance of monkeys also triggered discussions online. Some observed it is because of Beijing's improving ecological environment.

"Beijing's ecological environment has been improving, and it is true that there are more and more wild animals in some areas. But Beijing's urban environment is not suitable for monkeys to survive, so there are no wild primates in Beijing, and monkeys usually move in groups," Sun added.

Sun explained that wild monkeys are generally more vigilant, and if they have not been fed by humans, they will not come close to humans and even avoid them.

However, the monkeys in captivity are not afraid of people. "When they are hungry, they will even go to places where people gather. If you find monkeys in urban areas, do not disturb or tease them and keep a safe distance. It is better to contact the wildlife department immediately," he said.

He suggested that in order to avoid accidents such as monkeys disrupting the traffic and hurting people, the government should closely monitor the monkeys, and those who find monkeys should report to the city wildlife rescue center.

(Cover image via CFP)