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China Chunky Monkeys Slim Down after 3-Year Diet |
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| CHINA: December 11, 2006 | ||
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BEIJING - More than 200 Tibetan macaque monkeys in western China that grew fat and lazy from gorging on tourist junkfood have slimmed down after a strict 3-year diet imposed by wildlife officials, local media said on Friday.
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Authorities at a nature reserve in Sichuan province's Emei mountain region launched a diet plan for the monkeys after fears they were losing their wild instincts and becoming obese, the Shanghai Daily reported. "A normal adult macaque weighs about 25 kilograms (55 lb), but many ballooned to 45 kilograms," the paper quoted Hu Yongzhong, director of the monkey protection reserve, as saying. "Many of the monkeys had high blood pressure and a high lipid content due to the unhealthy diet," Hu said. Officials curbed the monkeys' decadent lifestyles by limiting their exposure to tourists so they would be forced to provide for themselves in the forests. Tourists were also asked to limit their hand-outs to more wholesome snacks, such as raw nuts, corn and raisins -- a directive unpopular with some. "At the beginning, many tourists did not understand. One elderly American woman complained that she had brought the food all the way from home," said Jian Hongbo, a local official.
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REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
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