With all the recent news about monkeypox, this unexpected headline certainly caught my eye, but not for the reason you might expect— it reads, “Japanese city alarmed by biting, clawing, attacking monkeys.” That’s right, feel free to reread to make sure you understood me correctly.
In the southwestern Japanese city of Yamaguchi, monkeys have attacked 58 people since July 8th, targeting mostly children and the elderly. According to AP News, these monkeys are trying to snatch babies, some even sneaking into nursery schools to do so.
How are they executing these assaults you might ask? By sneaking up from behind and grabbing at your legs. Victims have reported scratches on their hands and legs and bites on their necks and stomachs. It has gotten so bad that a city official put out a statement explaining what to do when confronted by a monkey— “Do not look them in the eye, make yourself look as big as possible, such as by spreading open your coat, then back away as quietly as possible without making sudden moves,” just in the off chance that you’re visiting Japan soon and might actually need this information.
These monkeys, Japanese Macaques to be exact, are known for being pictured peacefully bathing in hot springs during the winter. Once considered endangered, their population has recovered and are now listed as least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. I suppose that could be a good thing considering the city has hired a special unit to hunt the animals with tranquilizer guns. One four-year-old male monkey was just put to death after being identified as an assailant at a local high school.
According to CNN, Japanese macaques have coexisted alongside humans for some time now, but this is an unusual occurrence (that’s probably the least I would say). Mieko Kiyono, an expert in wildlife management and associate professor, says that these kinds of human-monkey conflicts have become increasingly common as the monkeys’ natural habitats are destroyed. The more humans and monkeys interact, the more monkeys lose their natural fear, and the bolder they can become.
This blog post is part of the CIMA Law Group blog. If you are located in Arizona and are seeking legal services, CIMA Law Group specializes in Immigration Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and Government Relations.
CIMA Law Group Blog 