logo
Monkey nuisance at Singapore's Mandai Columbarium: Visitors asked not to leave food offerings unattended

Monkey nuisance at Singapore's Mandai Columbarium: Visitors asked not to leave food offerings unattended

The Star13-05-2025

SINGAPORE: Visitors to Mandai Columbarium are advised not to leave food offerings unattended in order to reduce encounters with monkeys in the area, said the National Environment Agency (NEA).
The reminder comes after a Facebook post on May 1 by Loke Jun Xiong, who said the animals were harassing visitors during Qing Ming Festival prayers.
'A whole troop of monkeys was harassing visitors doing Qing Ming at Mandai Columbarium this morning. Once they see food, they will come and surround (the area),' he wrote on the Complaint Singapore page, which has around 244,500 members as at 3.30pm on Tuesday (May 13).
'The worrying thing is that they're not even afraid of humans,' he added. 'Another family got attacked, and they had to throw lighted candles and sand at the monkeys. Soon someone will get hurt.'
Several videos accompanying the post showed monkeys taking food left as offerings for the deceased.
According to Loke, the incidents occurred during the Qing Ming Festival, a traditional Chinese occasion also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day.
During the festival, families visit the graves or columbarium niches of their ancestors, and make offerings of food such as roasted meat and fruit, along with placing incense and paper tributes.
This year, the festival was observed on April 4. Including the official date, the festival is observed for a 20-day period, encompassing the 10 days before and the 10 after.
A monkey approaching startled visitors at Mandai Columbarium. - Photo: Loke Jun Xiong/Facebook
In response to queries from The Straits Times, the NEA said it has implemented various preventive measures to manage such encounters, as the columbarium is located near a nature reserve.
'These include putting up advisory posters at various columbarium blocks to inform visitors of the dos and don'ts when encountering monkeys,' said the agency.
'Notices have also been put up to remind visitors not to leave food offerings unattended. Food offerings are cleared regularly after prayers to minimise food availability.'
The NEA added that rubbish bins at the site are specially designed to minimise rummaging of their contents by animals and must be kept covered at all times.
Members of the public are also encouraged to refer to the National Parks Board's wildlife advisory titled 'What to do when you encounter a long-tailed macaque', which provides practical tips on managing such incidents. They include:
Do not take along food or plastic bags when visiting nature areas.
- If you are carrying food and are approached by a monkey, remain calm and walk away slowly. Do not attempt to retrieve the food or bag.
- Do not try to hit the monkey. This may be seen as a form of aggression and provoke it.
- Avoid direct eye contact with the monkey, as it can be perceived as a threat. - The Straits Times/ANN

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Crocodile caught in Tun Sakaran Marine Park
Crocodile caught in Tun Sakaran Marine Park

Daily Express

time35 minutes ago

  • Daily Express

Crocodile caught in Tun Sakaran Marine Park

Published on: Thursday, June 12, 2025 Published on: Thu, Jun 12, 2025 By: Azmie Lim Text Size: A screenshot photo from the video showing fishermen trying to capture the crocodile. SEMPORNA: A giant-size crocodile was caught at Tun Sakaran Marine Park, here, on Wednesday. It was learnt that the crocodile was caught by the Kumpulan Keselamatan Nelayan Semporna after two hours of operation. Advertisement A Facebook user, Salleh Abdul Salleh who uploaded a video showing the group while trying to catch the reptile, said the efforts and cooperation of the fishermen proved their braveness, unity and joint responsibility to protect our water. 'You not only caught a crocodile, but restored a sense of security to the entire community,' said the Facebook user. On Tuesday, Sabah Parks issued a closure notice for Pulau Bohey Dulang under the Tun Sakaran Marine Park from June 10–13. The closure was to facilitate crocodile risk mitigation operations and to ensure smooth efforts as well as public safety. They also issued an apology for any inconvenience caused. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia

People's Liberation Army officer rescues five people from drowning in Henan, China
People's Liberation Army officer rescues five people from drowning in Henan, China

The Star

time13 hours ago

  • The Star

People's Liberation Army officer rescues five people from drowning in Henan, China

Local officials pay tribute to Zhang Wei (left), a serving officer in the People's Liberation Army, at the hospital where Zhang is recovering, on June 10, 2025. On June 6, Zhang rescued five people from drowning in Shangqiu, Henan province. - Photo provided to China Daily BEIJING: Chinese netizens recently took to social media to praise a People's Liberation Army soldier from Shangqiu, Henan province, for his courageous act of jumping into a lake five times to save five people from drowning, Xinhua News Agency reported. On June 6, Zhang Wei, 36, a serving officer in the military, who was on leave, was taking a walk with his mother by a lake at his hometown when he suddenly heard cries for help. He immediately rushed to the location and found a woman and a man struggling in the water, while three others who tried to assist, ended up slipping into the lake, also putting themselves in danger. Without a moment's hesitation, Zhang plunged into the water. He swam to the woman first, recognizing that she was in the worst situation. Her fear and tension made it difficult for her to cooperate with Zhang, which exhausted him. However, after dragging the woman ashore, Zhang immediately returned to the water without catching his breath. "In the race against time, I felt like competing in a 100-meter-sprint," Zhang, who has marine training experience, later recalled. After saving four people one after the other, Zhang's mother noticed that he looked pale and was gasping for air. Out of consideration for her son's safety, she tried to stop him from saving the last person. But seeing that the man was about to be overwhelmed by water, Zhang kneeled down to his mother and said "I'm fine. Let me save one more." After saving the last person, Zhang collapsed from exhaustion and was rushed to the hospital. He was discharged from hospital on Tuesday after receiving treatment. The five people also visited Zhang at the hospital and expressed their gratitude. "I just did what I needed to do. I am a soldier. It is our duty to protect the people," said Zhang. According to the report, Zhang has performed well since joining the army in December 2006. He has been awarded a third-class merit twice, and also received a commendation and recognition once. In recognition of his bravery, the local government awarded Zhang 50,000 yuan ($6,960). - China Daily/ANN

Giant croc caught in Semporna
Giant croc caught in Semporna

Daily Express

time16 hours ago

  • Daily Express

Giant croc caught in Semporna

Published on: Wednesday, June 11, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jun 11, 2025 By: Azmie Lim Text Size: A still from the video. - Social media SEMPORNA: A giant crocodile was captured at Tun Sakaran Marine Park on Wednesday by the Semporna Fishermen's Safety Group after a two-hour effort. A video uploaded to Facebook showed the team in action, with the uploader praising the fishermen for their bravery, unity, and commitment to protecting local waters. Advertisement 'You not only caught a crocodile but restored a sense of security to the entire community,' the post read. The capture followed a closure notice issued by Sabah Parks for Pulau Bohey Dulang from June 10 to 13. The closure was aimed at supporting crocodile risk mitigation efforts and ensuring public safety during the operation. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store