Video of tourist's dangerous encounter with wild animal sparks debate: 'Aggressive behavior'

A TikTok user inadvertently caught an "attack" on a tourist in Thailand on film and used the encounter to educate people about the dangers of interacting with wild animals.

Marina's (@marinatintintin) video shows what appears to be a long-tailed macaque getting up close and personal with a tourist. After a brief entanglement in their hair, the monkey climbs off, and no real harm is done. 

@marinatintintin Monkeys can be dangerously unpredictable, especially in tourist areas where they may feel threatened or protective of their territory. Their aggressive behavior can lead to bites or theft of belongings, making it essential for visitors to exercise caution and maintain a safe distance! #monkey #monkeyattack #thailand #beaware ♬ Oh No - Kreepa

The clip is captioned with some words of warning, explaining that monkeys can be "dangerously unpredictable" when they are threatened. 

The caption warns, "Their aggressive behavior can lead to bites or theft of belongings, making it essential for visitors to exercise caution and maintain a safe distance!"

The long-tailed macaque, also known as the crab-eating macaque, is a small primate found in a variety of habitats throughout Thailand. They are synanthropic creatures, meaning they can thrive in close proximity to human settlements. 

They are a common sight in tourist hotspots, where their boldness and cheeky antics often delight visitors. It's also common for locals to offer food to macaques living near temples. However, this can lead to overpopulation and exacerbate conflicts with humans. 

Macaques are not usually dangerous to people, but they can carry disease. For example, the International Journal of Veterinary Science & Medicine published a study of over 600 wild macaques in Thailand that found evidence of simian foamy virus (SFV), hepatitis B, and plasmodium, the latter a parasite that can cause malaria. 

Aside from their risk of causing disease, macaques are notorious little thieves and will frequently steal valuables from unwitting tourists. 

As the TikTok video advises, keeping your distance is the wisest course of action, as it should be for any wild animal, no matter how tame it might seem. The U.S. Department of the Interior's advice about dealing with bison could apply just as well here: "Love them from a distance."

The video's comments were primarily emojis, but a few responses raised some valid points.

Should tourists be responsible for cleaning up their own trash? Absolutely 👏 In most cases 👍 It depends on the place 🤔 No, they shouldn't 👎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

One sarcastically noted, "Notice everyone rushing to help her." 

Another had a similar experience, saying, "I also was there and we [got] attacked." When Marina asked about it, the commenter explained, "The monkey [did] not hurt us at all, he just wanted our bag."

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