Monkey Hill
Protected areas near water reservoirs where groups of monkeys (mostly macaques) live free and wild.
Hundreds of wild macaques hanging from trees, scrambling down embankments, meandering down the trail, and frankly staring at the curious human trespassers. Macaques are the type of monkey I used to work with at the UW Primate Research Lab. What a different experience to see them like this.
The walking is fairly easy and very doable with children. Granted, we didn't do the entire trail. We just walked till it was time to turn around. The macaques are clearly used to people.
 |
| Welcoming Committee? |
The park is easy to get to from anywhere by MTR and then bus 81 (from Nathan Rd / Jordan Rd). Or short taxi from Tsim Tsa Shui. The journey itself is adventure for little ones.
Apparently the HK government brought a bunch of monkeys to the area to eat some toxic plants that were growing too near the water supply. Toxic to humans, not to monkeys, I guess. The colony grew rapidly despite problems with hunting (yes, people ate monkey. so sad!). Some people say that others may have been pets in the 1920s and were released to fend for themselves. In any case, there are plenty now.
 |
| don't mess with me |
Neat!
ReplyDelete