November 3, 2024 15:32 PM

Monkey Attacks Around the World: From Baboon Uprisings in Saudi Arabia to Indonesia and India, Monkeys Are Dangerous Creatures

A monkey uprising? Planet of the apes ... in real life? In Saudi Arabia and in Indonesia there have been reports of groups of monkeys attacking villages.

In Saudi Arabia apes have reportedly been terrorizing a village with seemingly coordinated attacks on empty houses.

The Arab News reported that a minor war has occurred between baboons, who live nearby in mountains, and residents of the Kiad village in Saudi Arabia. The village's residents reported that the baboons have "studied plans" for their attacks.

The Atlantic Wire reported that the monkeys who normally reside in the moutains, come down to the village in winter months to look for food.

A resident of the town, Hussein Al Barakati said he was scared for his mother's safety as she lives alone in the village while another resident Adel Medini said to The Arab News, "It's a daily game of hide and seek. The baboons are targeting empty houses and are well aware of what they are doing. The assault on the village is not random, as some believe. They proceed according to studied plans. That's why their attacks do not fail. For example, imagine a resident who is absent from their home for a period of time. Even though it's just one day, he is surprised to return to find his home in disarray. Some people in this situation thought that thieves had broken into and ransacked their houses ... The problem is that the village's houses are old and non-roofed, and our daily guest is hungry."

But the monkey attacks are a seeming problem in many areas where monkey populations are high. Recently in Indonesia a mob of wild monkey have rampaged an eastern Indonesian village. The Huffington Post reported that the monkeys were entering houses and attacking residences leaving people injured and one even in critical condition.

The attack was by 10 monkeys in the Toddang Pulu village. Spokesperson for the Sidendeng Rappang District, Ambo Ella said that he believes the monkeys came from a forest protected by a local tribe.

It is not determined why the monkeys, who are usually scared of humans, attacked local residents in their homes.

India's cities are also full of monkeys and in 2007 the deputy mayor of New Delhi fell off his balcony and died after being attacked by monkeys who entered his home.

Though monkeys often look cute and furry, they can actually be highly dangerous and there are numerous reports of them attacking humans. For example in a South African reserve in June 2012 a man who was studying chimpanzee behavior was dragged for nearly a kilometer under a fence and into the primate enclusre of the primates. He was in critical condition after the assault which included multiple bites and serious wounds.

A spokesperson from the Phoenix Zoo said to National Geographic that once monkeys reach sexual maturity they can become dangerous.

"In an attempt to establish dominance, monkeys may attack their human family members," reported National Geographic.

Primates are wild animals," said April Truitt of the Primate Rescue Center to National Geographic. "No amount of surgical mutilation, training, or beating will ever change that

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