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Monkey attacks woman from behind in Chestnut Nature Park as she tries to drink from a bottle wrapped in a plastic bag

SINGAPORE – A woman’s nature walk ended with her being attacked by a wild macaque on Wednesday (April 3), which also left a bite mark on her right hand.

Amy Hoang, who works as a beautician, was exploring the hiking trails in Chestnut Nature Park for the first time and took a break around 1:30 p.m. That’s when the monkey struck.

Monkey attacked her from behind

“I was resting and was about to drink from a water bottle that was in a plastic bag when the monkey attacked me from behind and bit my right hand, in which I was holding the water bottle and the plastic bag,” Hoang said. Yahoo Southeast Asia.

Then, reflexively, she swung her arm toward the primate, whereupon it climbed a nearby tree and growled at her.

She felt pain in her arm and feared for her safety since she was alone and there were no other hikers on the trail, so she immediately left the area.

Hoang went to the doctor to have her injuries treated and was given an injection and medicine for her wound.

For the first time she was attacked by wild animals

Hoang has undertaken several treks in Singapore and this is the first time she has been attacked by wild animals.

She said she would avoid Chestnut Nature Park for now and urged other hikers not to hike alone, especially in forested areas.

She also warns against keeping any items in a plastic bag as she believes this was the reason the monkey attacked her.

What to do if you encounter a wild monkey outdoors in Singapore?

The advisory on the National Park Board (NParks) website advises the public to remain calm, avoid sudden movements and avoid eye contact if they encounter a monkey outdoors.

It is also recommended not to use plastic bags in parks and nature reserves as monkeys associate plastic bags with food. Backpacks should be used instead.

If you are holding an object that attracts the monkey, hide it or throw it away and under no circumstances try to hit the monkey, advises Nparks.

In early February this year, macaques were filmed playing with an ATM machine at the Beauty World Centre. Nearby shops also reported that monkeys were a common sight in the area causing trouble.

Macaques have even been spotted in neighbourhoods further away from the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, such as Kovan and Hougang, and have been observed climbing HDB flats.

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