Wildlife Rescue
You met a wild macaque
Wild long-tailed or crab-eating macaques (Macaca fascicularis) on Coloane
Macaques are powerful, intelligent wild animals, not photo props or pets. The key principle is to give them space and never feed them, because most conflicts happen once monkeys learn to link people and bags with food.
What to do
- Stop, stay calm and keep a good distance, and do not crowd or corner the animal.
- Hide any food and drinks, and hold your bag closed and close to your body.
- Avoid direct eye contact, because a hard stare is a threat to a macaque, and do not smile with your teeth showing.
- Back away slowly, and never run, scream or turn it into a chase.
- If a monkey grabs at a bag, do not tug back, let it go and move away.
- Report aggressive or injured monkeys, or people feeding them, to IAM.
What NOT to do
- ×Do not feed the macaques or eat in front of them, this is the root cause of aggression and is discouraged and penalised.
- ×Do not touch, chase, corner or try to take a selfie with them.
- ×Do not stare, bare your teeth, or make sudden movements.
- ×Do not let children approach, and never get between an adult and a baby.
When to step in
You generally should NOT intervene with macaques at all, as they are wild and best left alone. Contact the authority only to report an injured monkey, a monkey that is being fed, or one behaving aggressively toward people.
See a vet urgently if...
- !A monkey approaching people confidently or grabbing at bags, a sign it has been fed before
- !Bared teeth, lunging, ground-slapping or loud vocalising, which are threat behaviours
- !A monkey that is injured, limping or caught in a fence or wire
- !Any bite or scratch to a person, clean it and seek medical care urgently
Who to call
IAM (Municipal Affairs Bureau, Instituto para os Assuntos Municipais) manages Macau's wildlife and the Coloane hills, Civic Service Hotline (853) 2833 7676. For a bite or scratch, go to hospital for wound care and rabies risk assessment, and Royal Veterinary Centre on +853 6677 6611 can advise if a pet was involved.
Legal note
Macau's wild macaques are protected wildlife, so feeding, capturing or keeping them is prohibited, and only IAM and trained personnel should handle a sick or injured animal.
In Macau
Wild macaques live on the Coloane hills around Hac Sa Reservoir Country Park and the hiking trails, where feeding by visitors has made some troop members bold, so keep food out of sight when walking there.
Macaques are clever opportunists that quickly learn to open bags, zips and even bottles once they connect humans with food, which is exactly why feeding them creates lasting problems.
Related care sheets
General guidance reviewed by the Royal Veterinary Center team. Not a substitute for a veterinary examination. Always confirm species-specific and legal requirements for Macau.