Monkey attack in MacRitchie leaves woman with 13 stitches

[jubilee1919]

Monkey attack in MacRitchie leaves woman with 13 stitches

Above right: The monkey that attacked Mrs Audrey Best. Above left: Mrs Best's injured finger.

By Victoria Barker
My Paper
Tuesday, Nov 27, 2012

SINGAPORE - IT WAS meant to be a leisurely stroll with the family at MacRitchie Reservoir Park some time in September.

But the trip left housewife Audrey Best, who had been on a boardwalk with her in-laws, with 13 stitches to the last finger of her right hand.

The culprit: a macaque which attacked her suddenly in what Mrs Best, 33, termed a "freak accident".

The mother of a 15-month-old girl was behind her husband when they walked past a baby monkey and four adult monkeys.

"I felt scared and I happened to look one monkey in the eye. It all happened so quickly," she told My Paper over the phone yesterday.

"I remember feeling this intense pain after the monkey launched itself towards my face."

The monkey released her within seconds as her mother-in-law tried to scare it off immediately, using her hands.

Her English- teacher husband and father- in-law also scared off the monkeys by growling at them.

"I think when we walked away, they took it as a sign of retreat... Maybe the monkey thought I had food, (but) it definitely felt like a territorial attack," she suggested.

She noted that she had been the only person in her group who held a bag in her hand, while others carried sling bags or backpacks.

Mrs Best spent three nights in hospital and still attends hand occupational-therapy sessions every fortnight.

Dr Michael Gumert, a primate researcher from the Nanyang Technological University's psychology division, said that people can often provoke macaques without realising it.

Dr Gumert said: "They may have done something careless like move too quickly or move too close to the monkey.

"They (the macaques) may already be riled up and redirect aggression from a previous conflict."

One should avoid eye contact and stay as still as possible in the event a monkey becomes aggressive, he added.

In response to My Paper queries, Ms Kartini Omar, director of parks at the National Parks Board (NParks), said that monkeys would return to the forest for food, if food is not available from humans.

http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20121127-385973/2.html

 

[PROFILER]

Should always bring a gun when strolling at MacRitchie.

I remember when I "catch dog" years ago, I shot a monkey prancing in the car with the woman.

Always stay armed when near monkeys.

 

[jubilee1919]

I would think the best thing to have is an umbrella to ward off sun, rain and monkeys!

 

[laksaboy]

Ang Mo Kow savaged by a Lau Kow? Oh the irony...

 

[halsey02]

Ang Mo Kow savaged by a Lau Kow? Oh the irony...

Sounds like " kek leng" married an "ang mo" or "cina"...the "lau kow" don't like her smell...I have been to Mac Ritchie for years, from school days, cross country, later jogging & later..."catch monkey"...never ever had problems with the primates there..

must be the smell...lucky the "lau kow" didn't have rabies..three days for a bite...my, my, my...

 

[lianbeng]

lianbeng says: lucky they never gangrape her! lau kau attack angmoh kau!

 

[SingaporeNINJA]

Her English-teacher husband and father- in-law also scared off the monkeys by growling at them.

Should teach Victoria Parker to write better English.

teacher husband and father-in-law?

So, is it husband or father-in-law or both?

The right way to write in such an instance is "Her English-teacher husband as well as her father-in-law" to distinguish that there're two persons described here.

 

[halsey02]

Should teach Victoria Parker to write better English.

teacher husband and father-in-law?

So, is it husband or father-in-law or both?

The right way to write in such an instance is "Her English-teacher as well as her father-in-law" to distinguish that there're two persons described here.

Try reading that in Mandarin..and you get what they are writing! either you think in Hokkien or Mandarin & write in English.

 

[Froggy]

Once again this type of reporting is one sided. We should have a chance to listen to both sides of the story. Where is the interview or at least an investigation made to check what caused the monkey to be so upset. Is it something she wore, did she said something not nice to the monkey etc etc the authority should get to the bottom of this matter. What? Just because the monkey could not use human language it has to be discriminated? Come on this monkey is our true blue local resident and I demand our laws to protect locals and not foreign monkeys. Days when we were 东亚病夫 is over, wait a minute or has it not?

 

[Extremist]

<iframe width="853" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Y2Rxtd6ifSY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>............

 

[jubilee1919]

That will teach these local monkeys not to fool around with the authorities. Only foreign monkeys are allowed.

 

[Kanggie]

That will teach these local monkeys not to fool around with the authorities. Only foreign monkeys are allowed.

You only have local donkeys, but foreign monkeys.

One needs to progress from donkeys to monkeys.

 

[scroobal]

Can one's husband be the father-in-law at the same time. "Her husband who is also her father-in-law...."???

Should teach Victoria Parker to write better English.

teacher husband and father-in-law?

So, is it husband or father-in-law or both?

The right way to write in such an instance is "Her English-teacher husband as well as her father-in-law" to distinguish that there're two persons described here.

 

[mojito]

Does it matter if the victim's husband is an English teacher or a bus driver?

 

[PROFILER]

Can one's husband be the father-in-law at the same time. "Her husband who is also her father-in-law...."???

Technically, theoretically and practically, possible.

Her husband married his mother (who is also herself).

LOL

 

[Spock]

Dr Michael Gumert, a primate researcher from the Nanyang Technological University's psychology division, said that people can often provoke macaques without realising it.

I didn't realise psychology experts are also primate researchers. If he is an FT, must be a real bargain.

 

[halsey02]

You only have local donkeys, but foreign monkeys.

One needs to progress from donkeys to monkeys.

The sad evolution here in SINgapore is from Monkeys to DONKEYS, this is true of the 60% voters. Every time, "carrots" are dangled in front, they bray, shuffle their hooves & do a dance!!

 

[Fishypie]

That will teach these local monkeys not to fool around with the authorities. Only foreign monkeys are allowed.

This is a good one bro ! ..

 

[monkey010]

monkey

You only have local donkeys, but foreign monkeys.

One needs to progress from donkeys to monkeys.

Some local monkeys are not that bad. plees don't hurt me.