Wild monkey attacks leave Kuala Krai villagers with injuries and anxiety
KUALA KRAI, May 31 — The peace and tranquillity of three villages in this district in Kelantan have been shattered since a group of wild monkeys started acting aggressively, attacking residents and damaging crops as well as intruding into residential areas.
This has left about 300 residents from Kampung Kubang Lebur, Kampung Batu Lada and Taman Berkat Jaya fearful of stepping out of their homes, especially with two more residents falling victim to these wild monkeys in the past week.
Sixty-two-year-old Zaiton Omar, who suffers from hypertension and diabetes, is still traumatised after facing an anxious moment on Tuesday (May 27) when she tried to chase away several monkeys on a soursop tree in front of her house.
'I fell when a huge monkey jumped from the tree towards me. I fell, hit my head, and it started to bleed. I also hurt my knee, but luckily my son was around and he took me to the Sultan Ismail Petra Hospital (HSIP) here,' she told reporters here today, adding that she spent four days at the hospital.
Two days later, 16-year-old Muhammad Afif Mohd Affandi suffered injuries when he fell from his motorcycle while trying to dispose of garbage near his home in Taman Berkat Jaya.
'A few monkeys were near the rubbish bins when, suddenly, one of them jumped at me and I fell. I injured my shoulder, elbow and right hip... I also needed to get three stitches on my head,' he said.
Meanwhile, 56-year-old Abdullah Ibrahim, who has lived in Kampung Kubang Lebur for nearly six years, said the wild monkeys not only destroyed crops but also stole food from their homes.
'In the morning, we'd go outside and find the bananas gone. Some monkeys even climb on roofs and rummage through kitchens. They're getting bolder. Many are even afraid to let their children play outside,' he said.
Meanwhile, Kampung Batu Lada Federal Village Development and Security Committee secretary Ramdzan Yusoff said that the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) had set up traps after receiving their complaints.
He reminded the residents to always be vigilant and avoid areas frequently visited by wild animals, especially when carrying out outdoor activities.
Kuala Krai police chief Supt Mazlan Mamat has also confirmed having been informed of the action taken by Perhilitan and advised the public to immediately report any incidents of wild animal attacks to the relevant agencies. — Bernama
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