Yangmingshan in New Taipei, Alishan in Chiayi, Yushan in Nantou and Taroko in Hualien are four of the most famous national parks to catch sight of macaques. While I haven’t been to these parks yet (they are definitely on my bucket list!), I did hear a story from a friend about a monkey trying to tear up his scooter to get to the snacks in it!
In remote areas, where the monkeys cannot rely on humans as a meal ticket, the monkeys eat a mix of berries, seeds, leaves, flowers, tree bark, insects and larvae. This diverse diet is why they gravitate towards Taiwan’s lush forests. But when humans are around, the monkeys will snatch whatever is up for the taking to fill their bellies. Though, from what I’ve seen, I’m not really sure if these monkeys ever really get full! At Shoushan, I’ve seen monkeys swipe everything, from waffles to sandwiches to bags of chips. Bubble tea is a very common victim of monkey-snatching -- after all, they are Taiwanese macaques!
Young monkeys have reason to fear snakes and birds of prey due to their small size, but adult macaques' only natural predator is the clouded leopard. These leopards are so rare that there is actually debate as to whether or not they are extinct. Certainly, no such debate exists for the monkeys. Honestly, in regards to the macaques, I think people in Taiwan are more worried about themselves!
