Terror as Monkeys Start Attacking People, Snatching Babies in Japan: ‘Not Interested in Food — Just Violence’
Guard your bananas, everyone. Citizens in Japan are on the alert after a series of monkey attacks in recent weeks that left dozens of people injured and worried about intrusions at homes and schools.
At least 58 people around the city of Yamaguchi were attacked in recent weeks by Japanese macaques, who’ve had increased conflict with humans lately amid a population recovery. The monkeys have attacked people by biting and clawing at them, but the biggest reported concern is the spate of attacks lately on young children and the elderly.
“This is a very unusual occurrence,” city official Masato Saito told CNN. “They have never come into an urban area like this before and assaulted this many people.”
One macaque incident reportedly took place a 4 year old at a kindergarten, and the Associated Press reports that they’ve tried to snatch babies as well. One resident captured footage of a monkey looking through the window of a door leading into a house, and just…look at it! Tell me that isn’t spooky.
Authorities laid traps to try and capture the monkeys, but they didn’t work, so Yamaguchi City Hall hired a special unit to hunt them down with tranquilizer guns. WGN9, a Nexstar-owned TV station based out of Chicago, covered the monkey footage in a news piece where it was declared “traps don’t work because the monkeys are not interested in food, just violence.”
“Residents are advised to avoid eye-contact, and they say, make yourself look big if you come across a monkey,” the broadcast continued. The studio wound up laughing at the “most terrifying script” for bulletin.
“Look at it peering through the window!” A broadcaster exclaimed at a screenshot. “I’m coming for you,” she added in an ominous manner.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to visit Japan as she continues her diplomatic tour through Asia. It is possible she may be asked about this issue, though the international political uproar from her possible trip to Taiwan might take priority.
Watch above, via WGN9.
