Animal catchers on Indonesia's Sumatra island recently captured a monkey, ending a two-week string of attacks. The monkey randomly targeted and attacked 18 people, causing dozens of schools to suspend classes due to safety concerns.
According to AFP, the adult long-tailed macaque injured 18 residents in Tanjungbalai, eastern Sumatra. Most of those attacked were alone at the time, with victims including children and the elderly.
On August 6, the monkey was finally caught in a government-laid trap. Video released by Tanjungbalai's Fire and Rescue Service shows the monkey confined in a cage, appearing tense and uneasy.
The head of the Tanjungbalai Fire and Rescue Service, Ismail, said, "As of today, there have been a total of 19 attack incidents and 18 victims, with one person attacked twice."
Ismail added that some of the injured required more than 10 stitches and rabies vaccinations.
Local official Ali from Tanjungbalai urged residents to remain alert, as the captured monkey might have acted with others. "What is concerning is that there may be other monkeys attacking humans," he warned.
AFP reports that in Indonesia, conflict between humans and animals is very common, especially in areas where forests have been cut down. Ongoing deforestation continues to shrink the habitats of wild animals such as monkeys, elephants, and tigers.