PESHAWAR: Recent reports about monkey’s suffering due to food shortage in less numbers of tourists to Galliyat during the current month have triggered a debate over feeding of wild animals by humans.
A number of animal lovers are nowadays sharing pictures of monkeys wandering in open fields in Galliyat for search of food as they are faced with hunger in wake of reduction in arrival of tourists who feed them fruit and snacks for fun and taking pictures.
The animal lovers while sharing pictures are making calls for help of starving monkeys to raise fund for providing food to them during this month when tourists are not visiting scenic sites serving as lair for primates and other wild species.
Some appeals are made urging visitors to Galliyat and other scenic sites to bring breads or extra food for distribution among starving monkeys.
The appeals by animal lovers on social media received prompt objections from conservation experts with comments on convincing people not to take part in such an activity as is detrimental for wild species in the longer run.
“Don’t feed animals in wild, it will change their feeding behavior,” warns Dr. Muhammad Kabir, a Ph.d on Wolf and faculty member of Haripure University while watching a post in a whatsapp group, Mission Awareness Foundation (MAF), calling for help of hungry monkeys in scenic tourists destinations.
The post was made by a group member Shoaib Salim, a student and resident of Manshera district, who during recent visit to Nathiagali observed sufferings of monkey due to lack of food.
“I was sleeping in a room of a hotel during recent visit to Galliyat and woke up over voice of door scratching by monkeys trying to enter for getting some food,” Shoaib shares.
“They are not feeding from forests and are now dependents on tourists. There feeding behavior are not like the amazon animals, Pls think about that,” explains Dr. Kabir when the animal lover asked for reasons for not feeding of wild animals.
“Wildness in monkeys has gone long ago otherwise they will never come close to humans like this, Lets be part of wild nature’s welfare,” argued the member who made the post for monkey’s help.
There are thousands of monkeys in Galliyat whose eating habit has been changed totally and its not suitable to train them for adopting to natural source of feed, Shoaib went on to say in support of his view point.
After Ramzan old routine will resume as tourists start arriving and same eating habit will start so for one month break we cannot change their habit, he continued.
“Hold on, think again and let them be wild, don’t make them pet,” adds another member of the group in support of Dr. Kabir view point.
“I can understand your love for wild animals, but you need to follow protocol, in long this activity of artificial feeding will have negative impact on wild population. Must read and follow instructions given by KP wildlife dept,” adds Dr. Kabir.
Wrapping up the discussion, the whatsapp group organizer, Malik Fahad, also shared some links of stories highlighting negative impacts on wild species due to feeding by humans.
“Feeding monkeys by tourists in Galliyat and other scenic sites including Margalla hills has disturbed the eating habits of the animal which is creating a lot of problems for locals, wildlife protectors and visitors themselves,” concurs Muhammad Waseem, Manager WWF Pakistan.
Talking to reporter, Muhammad Waseem said nature has kept food for monkeys in forest, but providing them food by locals and tourists has affected the habits of the animal, disturbing the natural process by making them dependent on humans.
In Margalla hills, sign boards are also hung advising visitors not to feed animals especially monkeys and let them get food naturally, Waseem added.
“Feeding by humans are depriving different wild species of their instinct of wilderness and making them dependent on humans thus damaging the ecosystem,” comments Daud Khan Yousafzai an M.phil scholar from Buner whose research was on same subject.
Shifting from natural food to human provided items is also affecting eco-system because these monkeys plays an important role in regeneration of different plant species through distribution of seed through fecal.
Sajid Hussain Field Assistant Common Leopard WWF-Pakistan when contacted also object distribution of food to wild species by humans.
He said tourists feeding has brought monkeys close to human settlement, affection the eco system as common leopard in Galliyat are now making more predation on livestock.
Monkeys are prey of leopard but most of the primates have descended down in human settlements compelling leopard to opt to livestock ensuing in retaliatory killing of feline by locals.
Sajid also made a disclosure that due to monkey and human closeness for getting food, the incidents of monkey bites are also increasing with risk of rabies because majority of the people in mountainous region are not aware about getting anti-rabbies shot after a bite by monkey.