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17 posts
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Jan 24, 2008
$4,000 fine for feeding monkeys
A MAN has been fined $4,000 for feeding monkeys in a nature reserve, the steepest fine ever handed out for the offence.
Panneerselvam Arunasalam, a cook, admitted on Tuesday that he had fed the animals bread in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve on Aug 5 last year.
A park ranger spotted the 46-year-old doling out food in the Mandai sanctuary, which is near Old Upper Thomson Road. The area is ringed with signs warning people against giving the animals food.
Pressing for a stiff sentence on Tuesday, National Parks Board prosecutor M. Maniam told the court that feeding monkeys endangers both the animals and humans.
'It alters the monkeys' natural behaviour adversely, as it makes them reliant on humans for food instead of foraging for food on their own in the forest,' he said.
These monkeys tend to behave more aggressively towards humans, especially children, he added.
It also leads to an increase in the monkey population and brings the animals closer to roads in search of food.
Although park officials and the media have highlighted the the dangers of feeding monkeys, many people seem undeterred.
The feeding of monkeys is becoming more prevalent, Mr Maniam said. There were 157 cases last year, compared to 142 the year before.
Eighteen people were convicted over the two-year period. The rest paid $250 fines.
Panneerselvam could have been fined up to $50,000 and jailed for up to six months.
ELENA CHONG
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These people should be fined more for feeding the monkeys! The public just dont understand the consequences of their actions. When I was at Upper Pierce Reservoir 3 weeks ago, I saw a family driving along the long stretch of road and while driving, the kids were throwing food out of the car's windows. The silly monkeys were of course excited to see food and went out on the road to retrieve the food. One baby monkey was knocked down by an incoming lorry while rushing out onto the road for the food!
Dumb parents for not educating their kids rightly! Dumb lorry driver for driving too fast and knocking the monkey down, whether if he did it deliberately or not, dumb dumb dumb! Dumb monkey for being so greedy...
So people pls pass the message, STOP FEEDING THE MONKEYS!
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like I " boh sai pang, chiu tai chee "... 
