Formosan macaques were originally widely distributed throughout suburban hill areas. However, due to continuous encroachment by human society, especially the post-pandemic uptick in forest and mountaineering activities, macaque territories now significantly overlap with those of humans. Consequently, there has been a rise in human–monkey conflicts. News reports about such conflicts show macaques snatching tourists’ bags, breaking into houses in groups to look for food, or even wandering around on driveways. Yet, most people do not know exactly why macaques behave in this manner, much less how to respond to such behavior appropriately. As a result, with media coverage and reports focusing on the damage caused by macaques, the negative image of these monkeys has become deeply ingrained in the public's mind

In recent years, there have been frequent reports of human–monkey conflicts— tourists feeding macaques and macaques stealing food—in Yushan, Taroko, Yangmingshan, and Shei-Pa National Parks, as well as Shoushan National Nature Park. Each park’s headquarters has adopted a multipronged approach by commissioning experts and scholars to conduct macaque research while actively considering possible resolutions. Additionally, the headquarters are developing partnerships, crossagency collaborations, and advocacy campaigns to collectively address the challenges of wildlife management

The Peaceful Coexistence with Macaques Workshop was held by the National Park Service in September 2024 for consensus building and experience exchanges. Wildlife conservation scholars, including Professor Ling-Ling, Lee, Professor Liang-Kung, Lin, Assistant Professor Hsing-Ju, Wu, and Associate Professor Hsiu-Hui, Su, were invited to exchange ideas with various park headquarters and lead the public in establishing the concepts and principles for peaceful coexistence with macaques.

Chen-Jung, Chen, the acting director of the National Park Service, opened the workshop with a lighthearted comment about humans and monkeys being parallel lines that should never “overlap” (pronounced the same as the Chinese word for “banana”), noting that food is a primary cause of conflicts and specifying the key issues to be addressed

Initial Cause of the Conflict: Feeding

A newsflash at the beginning of 2024 reported a macaque breaking into the Yangmingshan National Park Visitor Center, resulting in a 1-hour emergency closure of the center. Researcher Cheng-Ming, Liu from Yangmingshan National Park Headquarters indicated that human feeding of wild animals was observed as early as 2015–2016. To formulate effective prevention and control measures, Professor Liang-Kung, Lin and Associate Professor ChiShiun, Wu were commissioned in 2019 and 2020, respectively, to study macaque distribution

Both studies focused on the Macao area, where the most severe human–monkey conflicts had been observed. Research was conducted along the Yang jin Highway towards Jinshan, at the Zhonghu Road of Armaments intersection, and along Lujiaokeng Industrial Road. Findings revealed a strong correlation between the locations where macaque troops were spotted and human feeding hotspots. Furthermore, although the macaque troops had not expanded, both the sightings and the feeding hotspots had shifted to the heavily trafficked Yangjin Highway. The Headquarters speculated that the wider paved shoulders of the Yangjin Highway, which enable cars to pull over, contributed to a higher incidence of feeding behavior.

In addition, based on the feeding behavior observed on site, it can be preliminarily divided into two categories: “planned feeding” and “spontaneous feeding” based on subjective judgment. Planned feeding was characterized by offering wild animals substantial amounts of specially prepared food, whereas spontaneous feeding occurred when people casually offered snacks and biscuits they have on hand. Moreover, research showed that the rate of planned feeding remained elevated regardless of season (summer vacation or other times of the year) and those who engaged in planned feeding were more likely to ignore advice or deliberately sidestep relevant laws

The headquarters therefore created specific advocacy strategies based on tourists’ motives for feeding; they enhanced cooperation with police, installed multiple camera traps, and intensified patrols. Cheng-Ming, Liu noted that Yangmingshan National Park, as a prime habitat favored by macaques and with proximity to urban areas, was likely to see increased interactions between humans and wildlife; therefore, the headquarters ramped up its awareness campaigns, monitored feeding hotspots, and analyzed macaque behavior and activity areas to promote peaceful coexistence between humans and animals

Human Behavior Is the Heart of the Problem

Taroko National Park is another popular tourist area. Hsin-Yi, Chang, an associate technical specialist from the Tianxiang Service Station of Taroko Park Headquarters, said that the ever-increasing flow of visitors each year has led to more human–monkey conflicts, and the macaque troops in Tianxiang have become famous due to constant media coverage. Chang added, “We began by capturing 15 macaques for wild release around 2016, but we recognized that this approach was not a cure-all for the problem. For this reason, we are working toward a solution that promotes co-existence, with ongoing adjustments made in recent years.”

Through detailed observation and documentation, researchers identified three main macaque troops that often visit the Tianxiang Visitor Center, the back of Xiangde Temple, the Baiyang Trail parking lot, and the Baiyang Trail. Chang expounded, “The visitor center includes a convenience store that functions as a supply station, and the center also serves as a major resting spot for tourists. After getting their food, tourists usually relax on stone benches or in the pavilion, enjoying the beautiful scenery while eating, and this gives the macaques a chance to snatch their food.” She further explained that the headquarters even conducted research on the ratio of foods fed to foods snatched. “The foods fed are mostly bread, corn, biscuits, and rice balls, each accounting for 12% to 19% of the total. As for the foods snatched, snacks account for 28% and remain the largest category, which reflects product availability in nearby stores.”

Two volunteers are appointed daily by the headquarters to provide services at feeding hotspots, where they instruct the public on the ecological behavior of macaques and ways to prevent food snatching. Additionally, antimacaque inspections have been expanded to cover surrounding areas, including the Silks Place Taroko Hotel, the Tianxiang Post Office, and the Youth Activity Center. For example, hexsteel mesh has been installed above the disposable area, along with monkey-proof doors and windows. Chang said, “Additional measures include eliminating outdoor seating areas and stone benches while increasing indoor dining capacity to minimize the likelihood of outdoor dining, setting up public installations to prevent nearby retailers from placing compost bins by the roadside, removing public trash bins close to the visitor center, and modifying the public toilet entrances to prevent monkeys from reaching kitchen scraps.” By addressing the factors that draw monkeys and implementing educational promotion campaigns through counseling and guidance, the headquarters has achieved a 70% reduction in food feeding and snatching cases.。

Humans Aren’t the Only Ones Harmed

Improper recreational behavior has led to changes in the ecological habits of wild animals, causing enormous potential for human–animal conflicts and potentially damaging the already fragile ecological environment of alpine national parks. Wen-Chieh, Lin, a technical specialist from the Conservation and Research Section of Yushan National Park Headquarters, explained that the high number of incidents in popular tourist areas is primarily due to noncompliance with “Leave No Trace (LNT)” principles: tourists are cooking, bringing pets, and improperly disposing of their waste. Once wild animals lose their fear of humans, it increases their risk of being struck and killed by vehicles, and not to mention that the consumption of human food scraps poses a threat to the health of macaques, yellowthroated martens, birds, and other wildlife

就In the case of macaques, Yushan National Park Headquarters has detected high loads of intestinal parasites in animals that have consumed human food over a long period. Taroko National Park Headquarters and National Nature Park Headquarters also reported seeing unusual symptoms such as abnormal hair loss in some macaques. “Feeding behavior encourages animal groups to congregate for food, resulting in increased birth rates and population density in certain wild animal species, while displacing others that share the same habitat.”

Accordingly,Yushan National Park Headquarters has been conducting advocacy campaigns and facility improvements since 2007. Subsequently in 2022, the headquarters decided to reformulate the macaque management plan by implementing more effective solutions. Lin explained, “Professor Liang-Kung, Lin once mentioned that a combination of short-term, medium-term, and long-term measures and plans are essential for resolving the macaque issue. At present, the headquarters is prioritizing ongoing educational advocacy campaigns and facility enhancements, such as establishing patrols and monkey-repelling strategies, and promoting advocacy among local tourism operators.”

Yushan National Park Headquarters is actively coordinating with various sections to achieve the long-term goal of managing the macaque population, “We need data to create effective solutions. In this regard, we have been collecting long-term data on the ecological characteristics and distribution of the macaque population inhabiting the middle and high altitudes of the Tataka area. We are also monitoring their health to keep track of zoonotic diseases. This links back to the core mission of the national parks, which is to balance recreation with conservation.”

Leave No Trace Principles

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare.

2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces.

3. Dispose of Waste Properly.

4. Leave What You Find.

5. Minimize Use and Impact from Fires.

6. Respect Wildlife.

7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors.

Establishing Mutually Beneficial Symbiotic Links Across Domains

The Shei-Pa National Park Administration is deemed experienced in promoting cross-domain collaborations to achieve solutions. Yu-Hsuan, Tung, an associate technical specialist from the Conservation and Research Section of SheiPa National Park Headquarters, highlighted the necessity and significance of cross-domain collaborations. She further shared that a consensus was reached on resource integration between SheiPa National ParkHeadquarters administrators, the Taichung Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, and local governments to tackle common issues, which allows for faster and more effective solutions.“In the past, several management units took turns hosting cross-agency meetings to exchange views on Wuling management issues. In 2018, the Taichung Branch began holding semiannual stakeholder conferences on human–monkey conflicts in the Wuling area and invited local operators and organizations, such as the Hoya Resort Hotel Wuling and the Heping District Office, to formulate guidelines together.”

Furthermore, the Wuling Area Human–Monkey Conflict Prevention and Control Program was officially launched in 2023, and full-time rangers were appointed and funded by the four main units. Tung shared, “We initially formulated a patrolling mechanism, patrol work guidelines and regulations, and an SOP for handling human–monkey conflicts. We also created a hotspot map of monkey sightings. Later, in view of the vast scale of the Wuling area and the constant influx of tourists, we not only assigned rangers to manage campsites during holidays but also decided to hire three additional rangers.”

Each unit has formed a LINE group with the fulltime rangers to instantly track and grasp the current situation in various areas. After completing rigorous education and training (including paintball gun usage timing, shooting practice, and knowledge of monkey ecology), the full-time rangers take turns patrolling the area twice a day (once in the morning and once in the afternoon). They are also dispatched during emergencies. In their spare time, they impart relevant knowledge to tourists visiting the area. Rangers are required to actively provide daily patrol routes and records every week to serve as a reference for the formulation of preventive measures by various authorities.

“We have received positive feedback from the public, who expressed their gratitude for the help of rangers,” said Tung. The interagency joint effort to fund and form a full-time ranger group has eased manpower shortages and budget constraints, reduced human-monkey conflicts, and significantly improved tourists’ recognition and views of these agencies.

Teaching Based on the Ability of Target Audiences

Shoushan, like Sun Wukong’s birthplace Mount Huaguo, is home to scores of macaques, and Shoushan National Nature Park Headquarters has been dealing with the regular challenges of human–monkey conflicts. Since its establishment, the headquarters has strived to reshape people’s attitudes by intensifying conservation patrols, prosecuting and fining violators, and enhancing educational advocacy. These measures aim to establish the concept of treating wild animals such as macaques in the proper manner, rather than seeing them as domestic pets, and maintaining a safe distance.

Ya-Ting, Huang, the senior technical specialist from the Conservation and Interpretation Section of National Nature Park Service Headquarters, explained, “Education and advocacy must be multifaceted and tailored to target audiences. This is the only way to attract different market segments and increase participation to yield maximum benefits. For example, the original hiking trail entrance signs containing lengthy text have been replaced with comics to attract the public’s attention.”

Huang highlighted the flash-mob style advocacy at the hiking trail entrance as a notable tactic for enhancing outreach in minimal time. Wearing a monkey costume, she entertains the crowd by teaching them “monkey language” and explaining how to live in harmony with monkeys, while also providing prizes to make the activity more appealing. In a single morning—approximately 2 to 3 hours—the vibrant performance can reach 300 to 500 individuals. Additionally, the headquarters employs different “magic weapons” to cater to the needs of audiences ranging from elementary and secondary school students to working adults, including podcasts, short films, outdoor learning activities, and educational camps.

Huang concluded that since 2013, the headquarters has successively engaged Professor Hsiu-Hui, Su, Professor Chia-Chi, Pei, and Professor Chen-Chih, Tung from National Pingtung University of Science and Technology to survey and monitor the monkey population in Shoushan. The latest findings show a gradual decline in the area’s macaque population, although the mortality rate has remained stable, suggesting a lower birth rate. This decline is a positive development that signifies the success of the headquarters’ advocacy work over the past 10 years.

The Four Principles of Maintaining a Safe Distance

Back at the workshop, Acting Director Chen-Jung, Chen opened by saying, “Maintaining distance between humans and Formosan macaques is the most important goal and the most effective way to reduce conflicts.” Wen-Chieh, Lin of Yushan National Park Headquarters also shared, “Findings suggest that when watching macaques, visitors should maintain a distance of at least 4 meters. If humans make fewer movements and keep a greater distance, the monkeys will also react more calmly.”

Based on the reports from various park headquarters, it is obvious that human–animal conflicts all arise from humans overstepping boundaries and disturbing the original habitats of wild animals. Thus, it is essential for park headquarters tocontinuously refine the efficacy of law enforcement, impose the strictest penalties on feeders, develop more engaging educational and promotional activities, and even participate in cross-industry collaboration while doing their best to destigmatize macaques. Additionally, the public must be educated to internalize the four principles of maintaining a safe distance: no tempting, no feeding, no touching, and no provoking.

Scholars participating in the workshop suggested that the next step for park headquarters is to organize their experiences, record both successful and unsuccessful cases, and establish SOPs or integrated models based on successful cases. These cases will also serve as examples for natural and conservation management units in other countries to reference.

Scholars noted that the impact of conservation work can only be enhanced through regular interaction with external parties and ongoing internal innovation. Looking ahead, it will be particularly important to integrate the experiences and information of various park headquarters with a focus on broader conservation issues. If a working group can be formed across sections, agencies, and domains to connect the fields of conservation research, extended education, and patrolling, the united strength will produce more significant and effective outcomes, such as park–business collaborations to promote eco-friendly labels and the training of personnel for sustainable tourism. This will greatly improve the public’s understanding of wild animals and encourage the public to practice nature conservation.