Zoogoer smacks monkey on head in stolen drink scuffle
Zoogoer smacks monkey on head in stolen drink scuffle
2026-01-07
A scuffle over a stolen drink at Shoushan Zoo ended up with a macaque getting smacked hard on the head by a zoo visitor. A video of the incident has sparked heated debate online as to how to react to theft by monkeys. While some say that the zoo visitor was acting in self-defense, others say you should never raise your hand at a Formosan rock macaque, a protected species.
A macaque moves toward a zoogoer when a second monkey swoops in, snatches the drink cup and runs off.
In the scramble, another zoogoer reaches out and smacks a macaque on the head.
The monkey that was hit makes an escape, while the thieving one moves to the side to sip on the drink. This scene took place at Kaohsiung’s Shoushan Zoo. Some people say the zoogoer’s slap was self-defense, but others say that hitting Formosan rock macacques is wrong, as they are protected wild animals.
Member of public
Against smacking monkeys
That’s no good. They are wild animals, of course they’ll try to grab your food.
Member of public
In favor of smacking monkeys
With all the nerves at that moment, you might hit back instinctively. Maybe he went too far, but if a monkey slapped my son, I’d slap it too.
Lee Chien-ho
Shoushan Zoo
Formosan rock macaques are wild animals, and are protected under the Animal Protection Act and the Wildlife Conservation Act. You shouldn’t disturb or abuse them, and attacking them is breaking a basic rule.
In another video, monkeys have climbed on the back of a person. Experts say all you should do in that case is take a few steps forward slowly.
Lin Mei-yin
Macaque expert
A drink is a kind of food, so when macaques see it, they want to take it and drink it. If a monkey jumps onto you to grab something, put your backpack in the front and walk, it should get off you.
Officials say that the video isn’t clear enough to determine the circumstances of the incident, and so it is uncertain whether the zoogoer should be fined. The situation will be clarified by the zoo.
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逛壽山動物園被獼猴搶飲料 遊客"怒巴牠頭"
2026-01-07
有遊客到壽山動物園遊玩，不過卻遭到獼猴搶飲料，一氣之下，竟動手從猴子的頭上打下去，目前台灣獼猴是野生動物保育法理列管的一般野生動物，依據規定不得騷擾、虐待，否則可能違規，對此，農業局說單看影片，不會決定是否開罰，將交由動物園釐清狀況。
一隻獼猴朝著遊客往前走，下一秒，另一隻獼猴也衝了過來，只見一杯飲料直接落入他們手中。
另一名遊客疑似嚇壞了，直接伸手從猴子頭上打下去。
被打的獼猴趕緊逃走，搶贏的則直接開喝，事發就在高雄壽山動物園，有民眾認為這樣的動作是正當防衛，但也有人認為，台灣獼猴是野生動物保育法列管的一般類野生動物，動手打就是不對。
[[民眾]]
“這樣行為不好啦，因為牠自然的野生動物，牠搶東西一定會的啦。”
[[民眾]]
“緊張的時候可能就會下意識的想要打回去吧。雖然是超過，可是如果猴子現在打了我兒子一巴掌，我一定也會打回去。”
[[壽山動物園股長 李建和]]
“台灣獼猴基本上牠還是野生動物，牠還是受動保法跟野生動物保育法的保護，那所以我們都是以不騷擾、不虐待為原則。不主動去攻擊野生動物這個是一個原則啦。
透過另一段影片來看，若獼猴爬到人類身上想搶時，其實只要慢慢的往前走幾步路，猴子就會自己下來。
[[台灣獼猴共存推廣協會秘書長 林美吟]]
“那飲料它也是食物的一種，所以獼猴看到牠自然就會想要喝、想要拿。那如果猴子不小心跳到你身上要拿東西的時候，請你把背包往前背，然後往前走牠就會自動下車了。”
農業局說，根據網路影片，沒辦法確認整起事件起因，因此並沒有說明遊客的行為是否會開罰，強調將由動物園釐清。
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