The loss may be temporary, however, because doctors managed to surgically reattach the fingers.

It will be a week or so before it is known if the operation was a success.

Zhao Yiyang, two and a half years old, of Shanghai, went to the zoo with his grandmother on Tuesday for a spring outing. When they passed the monkey cages, Zhao was attracted by Ping Ping, a 7-year-old male monkey alone in its fenced area, the family told Shanghai Daily yesterday.

The boy collected biscuit scraps on the ground and tried to throw them into the cage. When the scraps fell inside the fence, which is 1.5 meters from the public area to prevent visitors from touching the animals, Zhao climbed inside the fence, picking up the scraps and giving them to the monkey.

Before his grandmother could stop the boy, the monkey dragged the biscuits along with Zhao's hand into its cage and gnawed off two fingers of the boy's left hand.

Zhao was rushed to a nearby hospital.

"We have temporarily connected the fingers, but we need a week to observe if the operation is successful. Normally, the successful rate is 30 percentage," said Dr Dai Jianguo.

Zhao's father, Zhao Lianghua, said: "We are responsible for the accident, but if the zoo could add another fence to prevent children from entering, similar accidents could be prevented in the future."

The zoo said that it had taken enough precautions.

"Animals cannot stretch their feet outside. Besides, we put a signboard on the wall outside every cage, warning visitors not to get close and not to feed animals," said Pan Xiuwen, zoo spokeswoman.

Pan said that parents should take care of their children and visitors should pay more attention to the warnings.

It was the first such accident at the zoo this year. But average six or seven animals are hurt by visitors every year, according to the zoo spokeswoman.

(eastday.com April 11, 2003)