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Dec 05 - Apes At Mount Alvernia – Government Statement

The Government says it has been concerned about the number of apes roaming in the area of Mount Alvernia recently. Seasonal movements bring them to feed on fruiting trees in the Mount regularly, but they usually move back up to the Upper Rock. Upon investigating the matter it is suspected that people working on a building site in the vicinity have been feeding the apes thereby attracting them back to the area more than usual, rather than their returning up to the Rock. Management at Mount Alvernia have, particularly in recent weeks, been in touch with the Department of the Environment in order to tackle the issue.

The GSD alleges that the facility has been "frequently visited and invaded" by a pack of monkeys. While the Government feels that to say the facility has been ‘invaded’ by them is taking it too far, it has certainly been frequently visited by monkeys for many years. Mount Alvernia is at the entrance to the Nature Reserve, their natural habitat. Regrettably the facade at Mount Alvernia has been covered in scaffolding for over 10 years. Scaffolding attracts monkeys in the same way that a climbing frame in a park would attract a child and that is another reason why the monkeys frequent Mount Alvernia for so many years. The Government is now actively working on the improvement works to the facade and the scaffolding will, therefore, finally be removed next year.