Recently a few people have mentioned to me that many parts of India have serious issues with monkeys, particularly with them roaming the streets in gangs,mugging people with shopping and even biting them. Is this a real risk, or more of an urban myth?
I think it is real enough, tough perhaps not in every area you visit. Monkeys are sacred creatures in India and this seems to grant them a lot of leeway in terms of behaviour, I have no doubt that monkeys are smart enough to figure that their tactics go unpunished, or that they at least to know where to go to get way with it. I have heard stories from travellers in other Asian countries about monkeys stealing their drinks, food and personal items from cafe tables if they are sitting outside, or climbing through open windows into hotel rooms.
Yes monkey menace is a problem, especially from those who live in packs or groups. And the worst thing is they will take anything that catches their fancy, and not necessarily food. And they are pretty intelligent too. My suggestion is to avoid feeding them unless you are in a car, and not leave around luggage unattended.
Would they take your suitcase thedeatheater? Surely they aren't smart enough to open it and have a look through? Then again, maybe they are! I have had unpleasant experiences with several animals when they are spoiled from being fed by tourists. One involved a nasty bite from a donkey and another being chased by a goose. Even chickens can be fierce when they develop that pack mentality, and there are plenty of countries that have feral dogs roaming around looking for trouble.
I guess travelers would just need to be careful not to be seen with food. Tourists would need to have a bag that can be zippered or just properly closed to lessen the risk of getting stolen from. I've seen people on TV who'd eat in public where monkeys are present, probably expecting them to behave like dogs and then run and scream once a monkey tries to grab hold of them. One can never be too careful because monkey bites may also have rabies.
This is very true. All they want is food and they don't harm anybody but the person who stands in between them and their food. They are aggressive when threatened as they usually carry their babies around. There was a case where a Gang of Monkeys tried to attack the Mayor(perhaps Delhi) who was then forced to jump off of a balcony and Die. These things happen very rarely but it is true. Because of the fact that we worship Monkeys(as a form of the Monkey God Hanuman), There is not much that can be done to them. Keep in mind that these are not Predators and they mean no harm, all they want is food.You better hide it before they spot it and if they do you better be ready to give it to them.
The only places that I have seen monkeys before is in Japan - and they do warn you not to look directly in their eyes or anything, as that can be seen as a confrontational move, and something that may inspire aggression. Luckily I didn't have any problems, but I think it's always best to play it safe! I do think what some others have said about them just wanting food is right. There were also signs around the areas inhabited with monkeys, warning us not to have food stashed in our pockets or anything, as they may come after you for it!
Monkeys are incredibly smart to the point where they have been shown to steal peoples sunglasses or footwear in order to bargain for some food that people have. This is a sure way of getting food that they otherwise would not have been able to get. It's not necessarily aggression it's just the will to survive honestly, and to survive they need a readily supply of food and come up with innovative means to get said food.
I've watched a few documentaries on monkeys who are close proximity to humans and I can tell you yes they are very much a menace. They know we are a source of food and will rarely put up a fight, so naturally they steal from humans in hope of finding some food!
Hello, @Jaynee! Monkeys are sacred to the Hindus. Every Tuesdays and Saturdays, Hindu tradition dictates that these monkeys be fed. They do so because the monkeys are the living representation of the Hindu God, Hanuman. From the latest data, there are about 50 million monkeys in India. Why did the monkeys become aggressive? Well, it's a mixture of human civilisation occupying into a once wild habitat and the tradition of humans feeding these monkeys. As urbanisation expands, so does the living area of humans. The more we do that, the lesser space these monkeys have for their habitat. That's why they have moved into the city. This is evident in a city like Delhi, where more and more cases of monkey aggression are recorded every year. But other places like Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh are starting to have the same problems. The stealing of food is the milder part really. There were cases of deaths after monkeys attacked individuals. Like the case of the Deputy Mayor who fell off his balcony after being attacked by monkeys. Or the 14-year old girl who fell off a building after being pursued by monkeys, she didn't die but she had serious injuries. It doesn't stop there, monkeys have been known to slap, bite and even get into people's homes and wreak havoc there. The city of Delhi has tried various ways of solving the problem. They have tried trapping the monkeys which worked for a while. However, as monkeys are very smart, they did figure out how to avoid the traps. Next, they used Langur Monkeys to scare the smaller monkeys. But these types of monkeys are endangered so many were against the idea hence, it was also discontinued. They have also tried giving the monkeys their own food, which ended up costing more than they allot for the humans. All of these solutions didn't work. The more that people feed the monkeys, the more dependent they become on us. I've read one article stating that these monkeys captured from the city, they were transferred into sanctuaries. About 98% of them rely on humans to feed them. What do you do though in case you come face to face with these monkeys? Don't make eye to eye contact. Look for signs of aggression like yawning or smiling. Once they do that, walk away immediately. If it does attack you, show him superiority. Throw away stones or any heavy objects. If you have some kind of weapon, like an umbrella, use that. But still walk away while doing so. Don't swat the monkey if it lands on you, he might bite, just walk away slowly and it might just run away. I hope this helps!
That is a true story. I have even watched it news. Monkeys are a real nuisance in many Indian towns. They trouble traders by eating fruits which are supposed to be sold. They can also easily steal food from kitchens and stores. But good news is, they are not found everywhere and yet can easily avoid them.
It's a real hard fact. Monkey menace is very much a reality in many places in the country. Surprisingly some very urban areas are also affected by this. First time I encountered a bunch of monkey in my friends apartment in Delhi, I was very much shocked. But then I got to see the same thing in various other cities. Also, it's a big issue in some temples too (I guess people giving them fruits and food is the reason).
It's true for some parts. Thankfully, the courts took cognizance of the fact that monkeys were destroying crops and injuring a huge number of people. As a result, the culling of monkeys has been going on and has had a positive effect on their behavior as well as population. They're now filled up in trucks and dropped far away from civilization so that they can do their monkey business elsewhere. While it's true that monkey's were considered sacred, the same farmers and other rural folk came out with the demand to cull monkeys. So, eventually, practicality won over faith. However, you're not allowed to hurt monkeys on your own. You could get fined or jailed if someone reports you and the chances are that you'd get reported. So, if there's some serious monkey business going on, you can call up forest guards and they'll come and tranquilize any crazed animals and take them away.
