Authorities verify video of foreigner strapping bananas on body to tease wild monkeys in Da Nang

A representative of the Son Tra Peninsula and Da Nang tourist beach management board on Sunday confirmed they are looking into the clip, which depicts a man using food to provoke a troop of wild monkeys living on the peninsula.

The video, circulating widely online, shows the man, dubbed ‘the banana man’ by viewers, strapping bunches of yellow bananas around his waist, arms, and legs before entering an area inhabited by wild monkeys on Son Tra Mountain.

Wearing a helmet, he appears amused as the monkeys approach and snatch the bananas from his body.

Footage also shows staff from a nearby resort approaching to warn the man about his unusual and inappropriate behavior.

Since being posted, the video has attracted tens of thousands of views and comments.

The incident has ignited heated debate about human behavior toward wildlife.

“This behavior is not merely animal cruelty, it also fosters unhealthy behavioral patterns in animals toward humans,” a Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reader wrote.

Another reader wrote that approaching and feeding wild monkeys poses many risks and is inconsistent with animal protection regulations.

A Facebook user commented that the man should be harshly penalized.

Many social media users noted that despite repeated warnings, some visitors continue to deliberately violate regulations, arguing that stricter penalties are needed to prevent similar incidents.

The representative of the management board told Tuoi Tre that for many years, the board has repeatedly warned visitors and installed signage prohibiting the feeding of wild animals on Son Tra Peninsula.

Members of the public have also been advised to limit contact with monkeys.

“We have consistently warned that feeding wild monkeys or approaching them too closely is dangerous,” the representative said.

“If this video is authentic, such behavior not only disrupts the monkeys’ natural survival instincts but also poses a risk of human–animal conflict, including injuries caused by monkey attacks while they're searching for food."

Many tourists regularly approach monkey groups on the peninsula, causing the animals to gather near the roads in anticipation of being fed.

As a result, monkeys frequently venture onto busy roads used by tourist vehicles, leading to traffic accidents involving the apes.

To address the issue, task forces have stepped up patrols, warnings, and public education efforts in recent years, urging visitors to stop feeding wildlife in order to protect the natural environment.

The ‘banana man’ incident is part of a broader trend on social media, where videos of tourists provoking or teasing wild animals have become increasingly common.

One widely shared clip shows a person wearing armor covered in sharp metal spikes – resembling a porcupine – approaching a lion.