Cheeky Monkeys in Malaysia

Weekly Topic: A funny human-animal interaction

Anthony UK

This event took place a few years ago on a forest walking trail in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. Looking back, it is quite funny, but at the time, it was actually quite scary.  My good friend PK and I were taking a walk along this beautiful nature trail on a hot and sunny Saturday afternoon.  

We walked up hills, through beautiful trails surrounded by lush green trees and plants.  There were birds singing and often the sounds of monkeys chattering and moving around high up in the trees.  The monkeys seemed to come closer and closer as we walked and they seemed to be curious about their visitors that day.  

Suddenly, we saw a group of monkeys sitting on the edge of the trail about twenty metres in front of us.  They were looking at us and more were coming down from the trees and joining the group.  Amazing! I whispered to PK, kneeling down to get in a good position to take some photos.  I was just about to take a photo when I noticed a large monkey looking right into my eyes.  I stared back and the monkey started growling and showing his teeth.  

PK was scared and started to walk backwards slowly.  I wasn't sure what to do, but thought that staying still might be best.  The group of monkeys continued making loud noises, growling and showing their teeth.  Then, in a blink of an eye, the largest one began to charge towards us growling with teeth showing.  I turned around and saw PK running down the trail as fast as her legs could carry her.  I tried to catch up running as fast as I could.  I could hear the big monkey growling and spitting.  He was so close that at any moment I expected to feel sharp teeth biting into my leg.  We reached a clearing in the forest and the monkeys stopped staying under the cover of the trees.  We didn't wait and continued down quickly to the bottom of the hill.

Later that day, we talked to regular walkers at Melati Hill and they said that some monkeys had become aggressive sometimes growling at walkers or running off with their bags or water bottles.  We were told that carrying a large stick is always good as a deterrent and that some walkers carry flares or something to ignite a fire quickly.  Apparently monkeys are very frightened of fire. 

This was definitely one of the scariest moments of my life, but something that I shall always look back on fondly.  I have this image in my mind of us running down the hill with a troop of angry monkeys in hot persuit and this always brings a smile to my face.

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