Monday, October 05, 2009

If you feed them...


minoo2008 (51)
Originally uploaded by katnhwi


Starting next April, the city of Minoo will impose a fine of 10,000 yen (about US$100) for feeding the monkeys in Minoo Park.

Apparently with these feedings, their body rhythms have changed and have increased the amount of births. You might think that an increase in births is not a bad thing, but apparently it is, because the increase seems to have tripled the amount of monkeys within a couple of years.

The increase in monkeys has also increased the amount of attacks on people eating in the park and damages to crops nearby.

There are many other areas in Japan with wild monkeys and similar problems, but Minoo is the first city to place a fine on feeding them.

So, if you feed them (especially in Minoo), be prepared to pay.

p.s. The harvest moon was more spectacular on Sunday night...

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very interesting about the monkeys. I understand the dilemna but if I were there and fed them normally, I'd find it hard to stop feeding them. How could I say no to a hungry being. They've gotta eat, after all.

Beautiful moon.

Paz

debi_in_Hawaii said...

awwwwwww....but they're hungry! LOL
They probably heard that Honolulu zoo monkeys get wrapped Xmas gifts of fruit, frozen treats and stuff :D

OkiHwn said...

How can Japan learn what the monkeys know - triple the birthrate.

Deb in Hawaii said...

They are so cute--but not when they attack of course. That moon is gorgeous.

K and S said...

true Paz, but I guess the city doesn't want them depending on people feeding them instead to forage for their own food.

If the monkeys were in a zoo Debi_in_hawaii, it would be a different story :)

Sorry Nate, don't understand what you mean.

Oh, and I know first hand at having an angry monkey nearby Debinhawaii :0

Take care everyone.
Kat

OkiHwn said...

Japan's birthrate is dropping, has been dropping, every year for a while. Japan is NOT growing!

K and S said...

true Nate, I think Japan needs to make having children a little more affordable and easier for women to keep their careers before their birthrate will go up.

Unknown said...

haha. Okihwn's comment is hilarious... I had to laugh when I read that. I guess they don't want those monkeys to turn into the pests that the pigeons have become here.

Nice moon.

K and S said...

Thanks Rick, Nate is concerned with the people birthrate being so low in Japan :)

Take care.
Kat

Unknown said...

Kat,

The low birthrate in Japan is pretty big news these days. It was in the news about the monetary bonuses being offered to couples that have a baby.

K and S said...

If I am not mistaken, Rick, Fukuoka is the only area paying for people to have babies. Japan has a ways to go.

Take care.
Kat

Jenster said...

Kat, are these the same type of monkeys who got angry at Satoshi on one of your outings? That story still makes me laugh!

K and S said...

Yes Jenster, these are the same type of monkeys. We don't laugh about this story but we do talk about it.

Take care.
Kat

Su-Lin said...

Yikes! Are those the monkeys with the scary looking fangs? I encountered on in Malaysia - frightening!

K and S said...

I think these are called Japanese monkeys, but you never know Su-Lin.

Take care.
Kat