Hong Kong’s John Lee says sudden monkey deaths ‘must be contained’, vows to uncover cause

‘I especially hope our chemists can finish the tests as soon as possible to inform us of the real cause behind these nine animals’ deaths,’ John Lee says

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Nine monkeys were found dead at the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens in Central. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 3:09pm, 15 Oct 2024Updated: 6:06pm, 15 Oct 2024

The sudden deaths of nine monkeys at a Hong Kong zoo “need to be contained”, the city leader has said, pledging to uncover the real cause as soon as possible.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau had spearheaded efforts to uncover the cause of the deaths and monitor the situation at the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens in Central.

The mammals section of the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens has been closed since Monday morning, after three cotton-top tamarins, three white-faced saki monkeys, a De Brazza’s monkey and a common squirrel monkey were found dead on Sunday.

Another white-faced saki monkey died on Monday evening, while a De Brazza’s monkey which also displayed similar symptoms such as an abnormal appetite and behaviour was placed under observation.

“As of now, the relevant section in the zoo has been boarded up and disinfected. We first need to contain the problem and control it,” Lee said ahead of a weekly meeting of the government’s key decision-making Executive Council on Tuesday.

Lee said Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung chaired a cross-departmental meeting on Monday, in which officials heard reports from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, as well as the Department of Health.