A study has found that tourism at Suruli Falls is reshaping the behaviour of bonnet macaques, with regular contact with visitors encouraging the animals to seek food from people. Instead of relying only on natural foraging, some monkeys are now more likely to beg or grab food directly from tourists.
The report points to repeated feeding as a key reason for this change. When wild animals are routinely given food, they can begin to associate humans with easy meals. At Suruli Falls, that pattern appears to be making bonnet macaques bolder around crowds and more willing to approach people.
Researchers say this shift is also increasing the risk of human-wildlife conflict. Begging and food-snatching can lead to tense encounters, and such behaviour may make visits more difficult for tourists while also creating problems for the animals.
The findings add to broader concerns about how tourism can alter wildlife behaviour at popular nature spots. In the case of Suruli Falls, the study suggests that feeding bonnet macaques is not a harmless interaction but a habit that may be driving long-term behavioural changes.
