Well blow me down! Half a world away from the wiley baboons of the Cape Peninsula, (South Africa) here in South East Asia, Cambodia – the Angkor Wat troop of long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) have similar tactics, grabbing an item and waiting for the gullible human to offer decoy food in exchange.
” Got the glasses, now what are you going to do to get them back……?”
“Let’s have a bit of a play …..”
“Maybe a dip in the water….?”
There you have it. Feed wild animals, habituate them to receiving food, they become pests and then they “steal” items in exchange for food. Clever creatures.
Nature on the Edge 
Little do these tourists realise that by feeding the macaque, they have created a problem which will have a long-lasting effect … 😦
The extent of it is bad for the animals. I dug a little deeper into the situation in Cambodia and it’s not encouraging, both illegal poaching and the pet trade are thriving.
Thanks for your comments, Lynette. Back home again, and settling into routine. More stories coming.
For all their supposed intelligence, humans can be pretty dumb creatures.
I despair… and don’t we see it happening all over; “dumb” and so exploitative. In Cambodia apparently illegal poaching and the pet trades are thriving. Not much hope for ‘wild’ creatures.
Apologies for the slow response Eliza. I’m finally home again… getting back into routine. Thanks as always for your interest and comments.
Yep, just like here the humans are to blame and the monkeys will pay the ultimate price for our thoughtlessness… But evidence too just how intelligent they are!
Yes it’s not an encouraging story, added to this roadside exploitation, is the illegal pet trade.
Dries, thanks as always for your comments…. sorry for the slow response. I’m back after my travels and knuckling back down into routine. More stories on the way.
Looking forward to it with great excitement, Liz!
All seems cute and well until a tourist gets scratched or bitten and then, as Dries says, the monkeys end up paying the ultimate price.
It’s a very sad situation, as i dug deeper to find out the extent of the problem, it is as you say the monkeys end up paying the price. More stories to follow….
Apologies for the slow response Anne. I’m back home and in for the fray… Thanks as always for your interest and comments.
Oh, dear…!
Very apt response, Jude – the story can only have a bad ending.
Priceless photos (especially the first one) of an ultimately sad dynamic. (If I were visiting from another planet and saw this lot, would likely decide that the ones with tails are the brighter of the two primate species …)
I dug deeper into the situation of the macaques at the temples and it’s not encouraging. They are exploited for ‘our’ entertainment, rather than respecting their wild ways they are tamed with food and become beggars. So sad. Apologies for the slow response to your comment Carole, i’ve finally returned home and am now back at my desk!
Thanks Liz. Indeed that is not encouraging.
I am also late in responding as I have also been away. Enjoy settling back in at home.
Great photos Liz. The opener is a beauty and the rest tell the story. They’re clever little critters that’s for sure.
Alison
Aren’t they clever! Yes, almost human and they have us taped. Sorry for the slow response, have finally returned home and can get back to my desk. Thanks as always for your comments.