Monkey In Indonesia Pulls Hard On Tourist's Nose

This troop of monkeys lives in what is known as the Ubud Monkey Forest, situated in Pandangtegal, a village in Bali, Indonesia. This is a sanctuary where the monkeys live as they would in the wild. It is an important spiritual and conservation centre for the village. Thousands of tourists explore this forest each month, being given a chance to watch and possibly even interact with the monkeys on their own terms.

Kristy took a seat on a small brick wall and found that a few of the monkeys were as curious about her as she was about them. They began using her as a climbing toy to get a better vantage point to watch the tourists. One even pulled so hard on her nose that it appears he thought that it would come right off. Kristy was instructed by the guides to stand up at that point to end the interaction.

The tourism that occurs here supports maintenance and conservation of the sacred forest and sustains the village economically. Rare plants and animals thrive here, providing a sanctuary for more than just monkeys. The monkeys' food is supplemented, although much of their diet is obtained naturally within the forest.

The monkeys are long tailed macaques and they are generally friendly and playful animals that approach visitors curiously. They are still wild animals and should be treated respectfully, but there is no threat to people who do not try to handle them inappropriately.

For most people, a friendly encounter with such an adorable little primate is a dream come true. Perhaps the reason that we identify so well with monkeys is that they remind us of ourselves. With similar features and a similar social structure, they are a lot like we are.