EMEI Mountain in Sichuan Province has announced plans to recruit 15 monkey administrators to help manage the scenic area and ensure the safety of tourists and monkeys alike.

The recruits will be responsible for maintaining order and safety among tourists observing monkeys, feeding and managing the monkeys, and monitoring and protecting the monkey population in the surrounding forest areas.

They will be assigned to different sections within the scenic area, and their salaries will vary depending on the assigned area. Those assigned to higher altitudes are expected to have better salaries, according to a staff member from the Mount Emei management committee who spoke to Shangyou News.

Emei Mountain is home to more than 10 monkey groups, totaling over 500 monkeys. Observing monkeys has become a significant tourist attraction, but there have been incidents of monkeys snatching food from visitors or even causing them harm in the past.

To mitigate such situations, the scenic area has implemented a “human-monkey separation” management model, which has successfully reduced incidents in some sections. Efforts are being made to extend this model to other areas to ensure the safety of both visitors and monkeys.

Emei’s wild monkeys are under second-level national protection. The scenic area urges visitors to respect the natural behavior of the monkeys and observe them responsibly.

Visitors are advised not to approach the monkeys closely, feed them, or engage in any activities that may be perceived as threatening by the monkeys.

(China Daily)