Hong Kong’s Oldest Zoo Faces Mystery After Sudden Monkey Deaths

Hong Kong’s historic Zoological and Botanical Gardens is facing a baffling situation after the sudden deaths of nine monkeys, including several from an endangered species. The unexplained fatalities occurred over just two days, sparking urgent investigations.

Zoo authorities have taken swift action, closing off a section of the park to disinfect the area. Experts have been called in to conduct necropsies and run toxicology tests to find out what may have caused the deaths. In a briefing on Tuesday, Hong Kong’s leader, John Lee, addressed the issue, stating that “whenever we have any news, if there’s a new development, an announcement should be made as soon as possible, so that everyone can know about the facts.”

Eight of the monkeys were discovered dead on Sunday, and another passed away the following day after exhibiting unusual behavior. The species affected include a De Brazza’s monkey, four white-faced sakis, a common squirrel monkey, and three cotton-top tamarins—animals classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The mysterious deaths prompted a meeting led by Secretary for Culture, Sports, and Tourism Kevin Yeung. Representatives from various government departments, including the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, gathered to discuss the situation. During the meeting, it was revealed that another De Brazza’s monkey had also begun to show strange behavior, with a decline in appetite and activity. However, the zoo confirmed that all other animals in the gardens appeared to be in normal health.

As the investigation continues, the zoo has assured the public that they are awaiting further test results, but so far, no clear cause has emerged.

Latest Petitions to Sign:

• Petition: Help Ensure People in Mental Health Crises Receive Help to Prevent Animal Abuse
• Petition: Tell Major Seat Maker to Stop Using Leather for Its Car Seats
• Petition: Tell the Victorian Government to Rescind Classification of Dingoes as “Unprotected Wildlife”
• Petition: Demand Disney Retire Dolphins to a Sanctuary Instead of Another Amusement Park
• Petition: Help Reduce Bat Deaths from Wind Turbines
• Petition: Urge the UN to Correctly Report on Animal Agriculture’s Emissions
• Petition: Demand That a Tiger Who Escaped a Zoo Be Sent to a Reputable Sanctuary
• Petition: Tell Microsoft to Find A Safer and More Eco-Friendly Power Station to Power Its Data Centers
• Petition: Urge Authorities in Australia to Educate the Public on How to Interact with Wildlife
• Petition: Hold ExxonMobil Accountable for Deceptive Claims About Plastic Recycling

Related Content:

• Tiger Finds a Place to Retire After Being Rescued from Argentina Zoo
• Why This Viral Video of Penguins Attempting to Escape From a Zoo is Heartbreaking, Not Cute [Video]
• Australian Zoo Faces Backlash After Euthanizing Lioness Because Her Male Partner Died
• Colorado Supreme Court to Decide on Animal Rights Case Involving Zoo Elephants

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Adopt-a-Pet: Visit WildWatchers, a watchdog platform specifically designed for animal, earth, and wildlife warriors to actively give back, rescue, and protect animals and the planet.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!