Monkey Business at Tshokwane Picnic Spot Kruger Park

Having just returned from another wonderful break in Kruger I feel I have to highlight a serious problem which has been allowed to get out of control. We stopped at Tshokwane picnic site and it seems that the site is now run by a troop of not-so-wild monkeys. They come and go as they wish and no one is doing anything to control this. It did not take two seconds for one to steal food from our table after it was put down - with me standing right next to the table - and everyone else was having similar problems.

It is of no use to merely have a sign up that states KNP does not take any responsibility and that, if people stop feeding them, hopefully the problem will go away. If they are not fed they simply steal and the next step (when everyone is forced to have a picnic without ever putting any food down anywhere) is that they will start grabbing from people’s hands - especially small children. The warning signs will not carry any weight when a child is bitten or seriously hurt. Similar problems (even if possibly less dangerous) exist with the bushbuck at Timbavati sniffing around food on the table and the duiker at Shimuwini. Pro-active action has to be taken. Travel greetings, Johan Kruger

Letter names withheld but shown in print edition.