The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) announced in a statement yesterday that it plans to relocate the 11 macaques currently housed in Flora Park (二龍喉公園) to Seac Pai Van Park (石排灣郊野公園).
The statement said the relocation will be carried out in an “orderly manner” early next month to provide the monkeys with a more comfortable and suitable living environment.
The move was deemed necessary as the macaque cages in Flora Park have been in use for many years and are showing significant wear and tear, such as concrete spalling and exposed steel beams. Furthermore, the bureau highlighted the issue of visitors feeding the macaques, which poses risks to the animals’ health and can contribute to the spread of diseases.
The decision was made after obtaining the opinions of animal care experts from the Chinese mainland, the statement pointed out. Taking the animals’ safety and health into primary consideration, the bureau will house the eleven macaques in the monkey pavilion in Seac Pai Van Park.
The statement described the new facility as a “naturalistic setting” for the primates. It noted that the monkey pavilion features activity areas with structures for climbing. Each area is connected to animal quarters equipped with a temperature conditioning system to ensure a comfortable space for the macaques to live and rest in all weather conditions. This will provide the newly relocated group with a more ideal living space, the statement concluded.
This undated handout photo provided by the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) yesterday shows the concrete spalling and exposed steel beams in the macaque cages in Flora Park.
