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5 people throw fireworks at animals at Kyoto zoo

25 Comments

Kyoto Municipal Zoo officials said Monday that a group of people illegally entered the zoo in Jan 3 and threw lit fireworks into the Japanese macaque enclosure.

Zoo officials say suspicions were aroused when pieces of spent firework cases were found on the ground in the "monkey mountain" Japanese macaque enclosure, Fuji TV reported. Security staff then reviewed CCTV camera footage and found that a group of five people had illegally entered the grounds by scaling a wall at around 6:20 a.m. They then proceeded to terrorize the macaques for around 15 minutes. Zoo keepers report that one animal sustained a burn to its face.

The director of Kyoto Zoo, Toshikuni Nihonmatsu, said the zoo discourages visitors from throwing anything into the enclosure, even food because there is a real danger that the animals will lose trust in people if this kind of behavior occurs, Fuji reported. What was done to the monkeys was incredibly cruel, he said.

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25 Comments
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Obviously, the wrong animals have been locked up!

There needs to be a new exhibit with the people who did this in a cage and visitors encouraged to throw fireworks at them. Or perhaps some roman candles should be passed out?

9 ( +8 / -0 )

What was done to the monkeys was incredibly cruel, he said.

....but no investigation by police or zoo authorities?

6 ( +6 / -1 )

Why did they scale the wall? Clearly, they already belong in the zoo. I hope they're hunted down, captured and put behind bars.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

These "people" need to be caught and punished. Cruelty to animals is often followed up by more acts on much larger scales.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Probably your typical Japanese security guard

@cletus: Probably no night time security guard at all. And why should they have one? This is Japan, and this sort of thing is not common enough here to justify the cost of a night security guard. I am grateful that so many things are officially closed at night here, but most people are responsible enough to enter and have fun there anyway without causing any damage. The cruel tards mentioned here are the exception to the rule and I hope they get caught and busted before they ruin it for everybody.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Who are the real animals? And how is this not in the crime section?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

These fools were not even as smart as the monkeys they were throwing fireworks at.

Animal cruelty is done by people who don't have high IQ's it's a proven fact.

Perfect example right here.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Pity they didn't climb into the lions enclosure. Then they would've picking up bones instead of spent fireworks. I hope they catch who did this and string them up!!!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

" ...group of five people had illegally entered the grounds by scaling a wall at around 6:20 a.m."

Let me guess: Young, dumb and possibly drunk.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

It makes me sick to read these stories. I hope they catch them. As for the animals, being in a zoo (concrete prison) is cruel enough for these fellow earthlings. We all have a right to be free.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Wow!! I always thought Kyoto was such a high cultured place! Now this?? Burning the poor monkeys with fireworks?? WTF??? I hope they catch these young idiots ASAP!!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

So sad that there are some people who take pleasure in causing fear and pain to creatures. I hope the camera footage is clear enough to identify the perpertrators and help to ensure legal action is taken against them

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Lock them up for a couple of days -- and throw fireworks at them!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

why did it take a week to report this? poor monkeys. They are our cousins. They shouldn't be kept in cages in the first place.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

You need a security guard for a zoo. The animals might escape- its happened before- a tree collapses and provides an escape route, a zoo workers fails to correctly lock up the elephants enclosure and they break out etc.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Really makes you think about the whole concept of zoo's and caging animals for our edification and gawking. One troop of monkeys terrorizing another troop of monkeys to show supposed dominance. I do believe the wrong group is incarcerated.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I am Sorry of the people who enjoy looking at animals kept in Zoos or captivity.

They are the people enjoy animal cruelty.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Hope they catch them and throw the book at them.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Hope they catch the culprits.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Crime section, please!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I'm guessing some native teenagers had nothing to do but harass some monkeys.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I don't imagine Japan has any penalties for this sort of thing anyway, so catching them won't do much. I just hope someone throws fireworks at the scum who did this, or they end up burning themselves.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Find them and beat them. I have no sympathy for anyone that abuses an animal.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Zoo officials say suspicions were aroused when pieces of spent firework cases were found on the ground in the “monkey mountain” Japanese macaque enclosure

Wow the zoo must have terrific security in place if the first they knew about it was finding spent fireworks the next day. Probably your typical Japanese security guard, you know the 60+yo guy who can hardly walk or keep his eyes open for long periods. Maybe they should if they catch these brainiacs throw them in a cage at the zoo and throw fireworks at them

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Paulinusa,

Let me guess: Young, dumb and possibly drunk.

Agreed. But I would also add not Japanese. They definitely don't have a respect for animals and nature that they would have if they were raised properly.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

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