On 11 August 2025, Universiti Malaya hosted a two-hour briefing and discussion with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia (PERHILITAN) to address the growing concern of increasing boldness and aggression among macaques on campus, as well as other wildlife disturbances. The session was organised in collaboration with Ts. Dr. Nordiana Mohd Isa from the Policy Division, Estates Department, and Associate Professor Dr. Hasmahzaiti Omar from the Institute of Biological Sciences. Dr. Hasmahzaiti, a recipient of a UM Living Labs grant, is conducting research titled “Addressing Human–Macaque Conflict at Universiti Malaya: Identifying Factors and Implementing Sustainable Urban Solutions”
The session began with an opening speech by Associate Prof. Dr. Zeeda Fatimah Mohamad, Director of the UM Sustainable Development Centre (UMSDC). She painted a vivid picture of the disturbances macaques have caused for students, faculty, and staff — particularly those living in residential colleges.
UM’s lush green campus, nestled between bustling Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya, has always been a haven for wildlife. But the very greenery that makes the campus beautiful also attracts macaques in large numbers. Over time, these animals have grown less wary of humans — and more interested in their snacks.
In one lighthearted yet telling anecdote, Dr. Zeeda recounted a moment when a macaque brazenly slipped into her Faculty of Science office and made off with her coffee. This cheeky theft underscores a serious problem: the macaques have adapted to human food sources, and in doing so, they’re becoming bolder and more disruptive.
She then posed a question to the audience: “Macaques — a threat, or threatened?” The question set the tone for the rest of the session, urging participants to see the issue not just as a matter of nuisance or danger, but also as a question of conservation, coexistence, and balance.
The rising number of incidents and complaints — from minor snack thefts to more aggressive encounters — shows that this is no longer just a quirky campus story. It’s a real human–wildlife conflict that needs sustainable, long-term solutions.
The discussion moved forward with a presentation by Mohd Arif Bin Azmi, Assistant Wildlife Officer at PERHILITAN Wilayah. He began by explaining the fundamentals of human–wildlife conflict: situations where interactions between humans and wild animals result in negative impacts, such as injury, death, property damage, or resource loss — for either side.
Encik Arif pointed out that these conflicts often stem from two intertwined factors: a growing human population and the loss of natural habitats, which force wildlife to venture into urban areas in search of food and shelter.
He identified three main categories of conflict:
Disturbance from wildlife — when animals enter residential areas, farms, or industrial plantations.
Wildlife accidents — often caused by deforestation or development that opens up habitats, leading to collisions on roads and highways.
Wildlife attacks — which may occur if an animal feels threatened or provoked by human presence.
When addressing macaque-related issues, PERHILITAN follows a standard operating procedure that begins with on-site investigation and risk assessment. Depending on the situation, actions may include driving the animals away, capturing and relocating them, or — in urgent cases involving human injury — lethal measures such as shooting. For larger and more dangerous species, such as wild boars, extra safety protocols and coordinated operations with local authorities are required.
The scale of the challenge is significant. In 2024, PERHILITAN received 801 total reports:
449 were new cases.
353 were unresolved cases carried over from previous years.
By 2025, there were 454 reports:
186 new cases.
269 unresolved cases still pending resolution.
That’s 1,255 cases in total currently targeted for resolution.
At UM specifically, the most common wildlife culprits are:
Monkeys
Asian palm civet
Lizards, snakes
Pythons, cobras
Between 2022 and 2024 alone, PERHILITAN successfully captured and relocated 74 macaques from the UM campus:
37 in 2022
16 in 2023
21 in 2024
The conversation continued with Mohd Saiful Bin Mohd Zin, Chief Assistant Director of the Wildlife Conservation Division at PERHILITAN, who spoke on the Challenges and Actions of Macaque Conflict in Universiti Malaya.
He noted that UM’s forested surroundings provide the ideal habitat for macaques, which are highly adaptable, omnivorous “ecological opportunists” capable of thriving in various environments. This adaptability explains why they are such frequent visitors to campus. They are especially active in the early morning (7:00–11:00 AM) and late afternoon (4:00–7:00 PM).
While their presence often causes disturbances — and sometimes attacks — it is important to remember that macaques are an endangered and protected species. Under Section 60 of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (Act 716), as amended by Act A1646, keeping a protected species without a valid license is an offence punishable by a fine of up to RM100,000, imprisonment for up to five years, or both.
Macaques also play a vital ecological role. They are a food source for larger predators such as panthers, pythons, and eagles, and help maintain the balance of the food chain. However, an overpopulation of macaques can also harm the ecosystem.
Encik Saiful strongly urged the UM community to manage food waste responsibly — including using proper trash bins — to reduce the animals’ contact with humans and discourage them from breeding in urban areas. Poor waste management not only attracts macaques but also draws in other predators like wild dogs and snakes.
Although primarily herbivorous and frugivorous (feeding on plants and fruits), macaques are opportunistic omnivores, also consuming insects, bird eggs, and small animals. Unfortunately, human negligence in waste management has encouraged them to consume food they would never encounter in the wild. Many have even learned to open plastic bottles, drink coffee from cups, and chase people carrying plastic bags, assuming they contain food.
Although many find macaques to be a nuisance, some people still choose to interact with them — approaching them to play or offering food. While often done with good intentions, these actions contribute to the very problem UM is trying to solve.
Feeding macaques draws them further out of their natural habitat, increases their dependency on humans for food, and encourages bolder behavior — including stealing from passers-by and attacking people carrying food. The introduction of high-calorie, human-processed foods into their diet also accelerates their breeding rate, causing their numbers to grow faster than the ecosystem can sustain.
The experts at PERHILITAN emphasized that prevention starts with human responsibility. Key steps include:
Never feed macaques — whether intentionally or by leaving food unattended.
Secure all trash in wildlife-proof bins and avoid overflowing waste areas.
Keep food hidden when moving around campus, especially during peak macaque activity hours (7–11 AM and 4–7 PM).
Avoid direct interaction — do not attempt to touch, play with, or provoke macaques.
Report sightings of aggressive animals to UM security or PERHILITAN so they can respond appropriately.
By breaking the cycle of easy food access and reducing human contact, the UM community can help restore the natural boundaries between people and wildlife — ensuring safety for both sides.
At the conclusion of the presentation, the audience and presenters engaged in a discussion on strategies for managing macaque populations on campus. Key points raised included ensuring adequate food sources within the Rimba Ilmu forest, improving campus waste management to prevent macaques from rummaging through bins, and enhancing the design of Universiti Malaya’s monkey traps (captured macaques are handed over to PERHILITAN, where they are either relocated to remote forest areas or euthanised if found to be diseased). Other recommendations included raising awareness within the UM community to discourage feeding the macaques and addressing potential ecological imbalances that may arise from a reduced macaque population—such as impacts on predator–prey relationships, given that macaques feed on the eggs of snakes and lizards.
An important point of feedback concerned the conservation status of Macaca fascicularis (Long-tailed Macaque), which is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. This status is largely attributed to heavy demand in national and international trade, rapid habitat loss due to deforestation and land conversion in Southeast Asia, hunting and trapping, and their use as non-human primates in research (Hansen, 2022). PERHILITAN clarified that its use of monkey traps is primarily intended to relocate macaques to more suitable habitats with minimal human conflict, and that euthanasia is carried out only in cases where individuals are confirmed to be suffering from serious zoonotic or highly transmissible diseases.
Reference:
Hansen, M.F. et al. 2022. Macaca fascicularis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T12551A199563077. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T12551A199563077.en
This article was written by Rania Jagaddhita Prasada, UMSDC's intern
