Cambodia Investigates YouTuber-Driven Monkey Abuse at Angkor Site

Authorities aim to curb exploitation and ensure wildlife protection at the UNESCO heritage location.

Authorities in Cambodia are investigating the abuse of monkeys at the Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site by YouTubers seeking to generate online views.
The abuse ranges from physical mistreatment to creating dependency among the monkeys by feeding them, leading to aggressive behavior towards tourists.
APSARA, the Cambodian office overseeing the site, is working with the Ministry of Agriculture to gather evidence for legal action against the most serious abusers.
Social media platforms like YouTube and Facebook have removed videos with graphic content, but many others remain, drawing thousands of views.
Experts suggest that the problem could be mitigated if people stop watching these exploitative videos, highlighting the role of viewer demand in perpetuating the abuse.