Indonesian town captures monkey that attacked 18 people

Animal trappers in Indonesia have captured a monkey that terrorized the town of Tembilahan on Sumatra Island, attacking 18 residents over a two-week period. The adult long-tailed macaque's random assaults, which primarily targeted individuals when they were alone, included biting and clawing its victims. The injured included both children and the elderly, with some requiring extensive stitches and rabies vaccinations.

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As of today, there were 19 attacks, with 18 victims. One victim was attacked twice.

The monkey was apprehended late yesterday in a trap set by local authorities. A video released by the Tembilahan fire and rescue service shows the seemingly stressed animal confined in a cage. Despite the capture, town official Ari Syuria urged residents to remain vigilant, suggesting that the monkey may have operated with others. "The concern is that there may be other monkeys attacking people," Syuria stated in an Instagram post.

The attacks led to the closure of 40 schools, with hundreds of Tembilahan pupils ordered to attend three days of online learning. The local government indicated that schools would reopen next Monday if the situation was deemed safe. The captured monkey has been transferred to Pekanbaru, the provincial capital of Riau, where the nature conservation agency will conduct blood and observational tests to determine if it carries any diseases.

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The concern is that there may be other monkeys attacking people.

Human-animal conflicts are a recurring issue in Indonesia, particularly in regions where rainforests are cleared for palm oil plantations, diminishing the natural habitats of various wildlife species.

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We want to establish whether the monkey is carrying any diseases.