Angkor Wat is facing a monkey menace.
The archaeological site of Angkor Wat in Cambodia is grappling with a growing monkey menace. Wild monkeys are attacking tourists, stealing food, and damaging the historic temple, prompting authorities to urge visitors to stay away from the aggressive macaques. The problem, however, has been exacerbated by YouTubers who, in their quest for content, have fed the monkeys and “changed the monkeys’ natural behavior from being wild animals to domestic ones that are aggressive, steal food, and cause injuries among people,” according to the Apsara National Authority.
Authorities are not only concerned about the safety of tourists but also about the damage caused to the historic temples. Long Kosal, a spokesperson for the authority, told the South China Morning Post, “On top of biting visitors, they have been climbing up and pushing stones down, damaging temples.”
The monkeys, native to the forests surrounding the park, have seen their numbers increase recently. Animal rights groups have been pressuring the government to take action to protect the animals. They have warned that tourists are harassing the wild macaques for dramatic content, provoking them to elicit reactions. “The artificial feeding of monkeys by tourists and the deliberate interference and harassment by content creators must stop,” UK-based Action for Primates told The Phnom Penh Post.
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This isn’t the first time content creators at Angkor Wat have drawn criticism. Last year, TikTokers started a trend of running and jumping at the archaeological site, mimicking the popular mobile game Temple Run. Conservation experts were appalled, noting that the stunts risked damaging the temples and were disrespectful to the cultural and spiritual significance of the site. Archaeology professor Alison Carter told Business Insider, “People often forget that Angkor Wat and other Angkorian temple sites are places of living cultural heritage for Cambodian people.”
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Angkor Wat is one of the most important archaeological complexes in Southeast Asia. Dating back to the 12th century, the temples are a legacy of the Khmer rulers. More than 700,000 people visited the site last year.
Zoos, wildlife parks, and sanctuaries also discourage visitors from feeding wild animals, but tourists worldwide continue to disturb wildlife in various ways. They get too close to endangered animals, crowd them, or chase them with cameras to capture the perfect picture. At Yellowstone National Park, tourists are repeatedly warned to stay away from bison and other wild animals, yet many have been injured after ignoring these warnings.
Related: You’ll Inadvertently Kill Yellowstone’s Animals if You Do This
Authorities often pursue tourists who cross the line with animals, and laws exist to penalize offenders. Harassing monk seals is a felony in the U.S. and can result in prison time or a $50,000 fine. In 2021, two tourists were fined $500 each for encroaching on monk seal territory. In April 2024, a tourist in Norway was fined $1,100 for getting too close to a walrus. Last year, China banned 12 tourists for life from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding for poor behavior, including throwing bamboo shoots, cigarettes, and bread at pandas to get their attention.
Related: 10 Ethical Animal Encounters You Can Have in the Wild
