Taking Proper Precautions
Dress appropriately. It’s best to wear plain and simple clothing when going into an environment with monkeys. Do not wear jewelry. Remove all piercings. Leave anything shiny at home, for example, sequin-covered shirts. Long hair should be tied up or put back. Consider wearing contact lenses instead of glasses. Leave your purse, fannypack or backpack at home. Monkeys in popular vacation areas have been known to raid them for food and treats.
Keep your distance. Set aside your fantasies about getting close to a cute and loveable monkey. Sure, it’s possible to cultivate a relationship with monkeys over a long period of time. And some monkeys are tamer than others. But you must always remember that, no matter what, monkeys are wild animals. Keeping your distance is important step in preventing a monkey attack. Remember: Some species of monkeys have up to four times the strength of a human being. Monkeys are unpredictable. Monkey bites are dangerous due to the high levels of bacteria in their mouths. Monkeys are common carriers of rabies.
Do not feed the monkeys. It’s almost always a bad idea to have food in the vicinity of a monkey, as food is one of the most common reasons a monkey will attack. This applies to food you’ve kept hidden in a container, too. Monkeys have an amazing sense of smell and can even detect food that’s still in its packaging. Plus, giving food to one monkey will likely attract others, which may interpret your refusal to feed them as a sign of aggression and be a reason for them to attack. It may seem like innocent fun and other people may be doing it, but please: do not feed the monkeys.
Consider your body language. Avoid smiling at monkeys or making any sort of gesture that shows or bares your teeth. To a monkey, a big toothy grin is a sign of threat and aggression. Don't yell at, sing to, tease or heckle the monkey. Avoid any postures that would seem aggressive to a fellow human being and keep your motions minimal. Being aggressive will only get you attacked.
Be careful when taking pictures. You’ve found the coolest location, the light is right, and there are tons of cute monkeys just waiting to be photographed. But be careful. Monkeys have been known to attack selfie-takers because they sometimes interpret their own reflection in the camera lens as a strange and potentially dangerous monkey. Focusing on your camera and not on the situation around you can be dangerous because it means you’re not considering important signs that may affect whether a monkey is about to attack.
Dealing with Monkey Aggression
Be aware of hostile signs. Always pay close attention to a monkey’s body language. There are some behaviors you should become familiar with. For example, a monkey is telling you it feels threatened and might behave in an aggressive manner if it blinks, makes an exaggerated yawn or gives you a big smile. When a monkey bares its teeth it is almost always a sign of aggression.
Stand your ground. If a monkey is acting especially aggressive, don’t run away or show your fear. The pecking order in monkey clans is well-established and running away will tell the monkey that you are subordinate to them and will increase their aggressive instincts. Instead, back away slowly while still facing the monkey and avoiding direct eye contact.
Show them your empty palms. Most acts of monkey aggression are a result of a monkey thinking you have food. If you do have food, throw it in their direction. If you don’t, simply hold out your empty palms to show the monkey you have none.
Surviving an Attack
Don’t panic. Many people who study monkeys have been attacked by them – but have never been bitten. The secret is to avoid panicking if an aggressive monkey comes at you and jumps on you. The monkey is most likely only asserting itself and is not looking for actual combat. Contain your fear as best as possible. Don’t scream. Don’t try to fight the monkey or push it off. Walk calmly away. The monkey will eventually let go and leave you alone.
Don't play tug of war. Never refuse to drop something that a monkey has grabbed hold of. Monkeys are very curious creatures but they also have shorter attentions spans than we do, so the chances are they’ll drop whatever it is they’ve grabbed within a short amount of time. Anything with straps, like your camera or backpack are tempting for monkeys and many people have been attacked because they refuse to let the monkey examine it.
Treat any bites or wounds immediately. A monkey bite, no matter how small it may seem, is no laughing matter. Monkeys are known carriers of rabies but even a bite from a healthy monkey can cause a life-threatening infection due to the bacteria in their mouths. Retreat to a safe place. Scrub your wound with clean water and soap to make sure as many germs as possible have been removed. Visit a doctor as soon as you can. They will likely suggest a course of antibiotics and may even suggest antibiotics against rabies, which has no initial symptoms and is fatal if not treated immediately.
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