Eight primates found dead at HK Zoological and Botanical Gardens

The Mammals Section of the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens (HKZBG) will be closed starting Monday after eight primates were found dead in a single day.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today that eight animals -- including a De Brazza’s Monkey, a Common Squirrel Monkey, three Cotton-top Tamarins, and three White-faced Sakis -- were discovered deceased at HKZBG yesterday (Oct 13).

The Department coordinated with the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Department to conduct necropsies and laboratory tests immediately to determine the cause of death.

While awaiting the test results, the Mammals Section will remain closed from today for thorough disinfection and cleaning.  

The LCSD also stated that they will closely monitor the health of other animals in the zoo. During this period, other facilities at HKZBG will continue to operate as usual.

The mammal area was cordoned off today, with notices informing visitors about the temporary closure.

Zoo staff, donned in full protective gear, were seen feeding the monkeys. Security guards, wearing masks, were also present at the entrance of the mammal section.

Visitors expressed disappointment and concern over the closure. A visitor surnamed Wong, who visited HKZBG with her daughter, mentioned that they frequently visited due to their proximity to the gardens but decided to leave immediately after learning about the deaths.

Another visitor, a North Point resident surnamed Mak, who came with his wife and granddaughter, expressed his disappointment as they could not view the monkeys up close due to the closure of the mammal zone.

Florence Tang Mei-kuen, an expert in anatomy and a lecturer at the School of Biomedical Sciences at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), stated that the simultaneous death of eight monkeys is a rare occurrence and suggested that the cause of death could be attributed to collective food poisoning.

She suspected that tourists might have given food that may be harmful to the monkeys, like chocolate, and urged looking into whether there was any negligence from a management standpoint.

+3