August 2, 2002

7:03 AM

Monkeys rescued an orphaned member of their troop from an Indian police station after its mother was shot dead. The baby monkey breastfeeding the mother wouldn't let go of its dead mother. Police took the body to their station, and that night, 30 monkeys laid siege to the station and took the baby away with them. (from VeganPorn)
posted by ao4047 (33 comments total)

The orchard owner Syed Raza, who was released on bail, said: "I feel terrible. I had no intention of killing the monkey. I was just trying to scare it away from the trees and the gun went off."

Whatever. Jackass.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 7:05 AM on August 2, 2002

It's sad that we don't have that sense of community responsibility.
Loved that story. thanks!
posted by amberglow at 7:08 AM on August 2, 2002

Anyone else incapable of reading the word 'monkey' that many times in an article without giggling? Especially with a couple teats and a suckle...
posted by bingbangbong at 7:13 AM on August 2, 2002

A tearjerker about monkeys. Wow. *Thanks*
posted by Mondo at 7:21 AM on August 2, 2002

I once saw a TV documentary about a monkey troop that held a funeral for the old alpha male who'd been leading the tribe for years. He was nicer than any of the young bucks that kept challenging him, and when he finally died (I'm pretty sure it was old age), the other monkeys gathered around his body for a few hours and sat silently before moving on. I'll never forget the scene where an adult female sitting by his head brushed a fly off the dead monkey's face. She did it so gently and looked so sad.

I've been trying to find that documentary since, but no one at Animal Planet or the Discovery Channel ever knows what I'm talking about.
posted by mediareport at 7:26 AM on August 2, 2002

That story is a sad but strangely moving tribute to the humanity of monkeys. Humans should pay attention. And stop killing things.
posted by ashbury at 7:27 AM on August 2, 2002

bingbangbong, call me humorless but I didn't giggle once.
posted by ashbury at 7:29 AM on August 2, 2002

I like monkeys.
posted by billder at 7:29 AM on August 2, 2002

If the sad tale of this monkey has upset you, I give you the antidote (take in small doses): The Happy Little Red Monkey.
posted by ColdChef at 7:31 AM on August 2, 2002

I wonder how the monkeys got into the police station to begin with. Sounds almost like an episode of this.
posted by dr_dank at 7:32 AM on August 2, 2002

And stop killing things.

True, but monkeys may not be the best example. Read about the less virtuous side of some monkeys here. An excerpt:

Dozens of ticked-off monkeys cling to the cyclone wire and reach their grubby hands into the feeding hut in the hope of getting a hand-out. They scream and wail and regularly attack any of their furry brethren that try to hog a prime feeding position. Monkey-on-monkey violence is copious and wretched; as soon as one monkey receives a piece of banana, large packs of jealous monkeys descend upon him to kick his monkey ass so as to steal his food.

Perhaps the great apes would be better examples.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 7:33 AM on August 2, 2002

The monkeys probably baited the cops with donuts. Then were free to invade the cop shop.
posted by Mondo at 7:33 AM on August 2, 2002

Mediareport, I saw the documentary you're talking about...if it is the one that was studying animals & their emotions. I definitely saw something of that nature on Animal Planet last year.

That story was sad, but I am just so happy that the monkeys rescued the baby and took care of it. Monkeys are so terrific.
posted by catfood at 7:36 AM on August 2, 2002

Never EVER trust a monkey. They're cute, they're fuzzy, they have bright intelligent eyes, and they are freakishly strong little monsters that will BITE YOUR FINGERS CLEAN OFF.

I'm not even getting into the fece flingin'.
posted by UncleFes at 7:45 AM on August 2, 2002

And don't let them take notes for you in class, either.
posted by catfood at 8:08 AM on August 2, 2002

I have to admit I found the story a little freaky at first, I guess I don't give monkeys enough credit. It is heartwarming in the end, though, once you get past your surprise.
posted by aclevername at 8:10 AM on August 2, 2002

But one thing no one has even begun to question is the accuracy/authenticity of the story... I mean, an unspecified city in a sub-continent on the other side of the world, reported on in a British tabloid. Perhaps you would all be equally touched to read some of these adventures.
posted by jonson at 8:35 AM on August 2, 2002

Remind me the next time you have a parade so I can rain on it, Jonson.
posted by catfood at 8:40 AM on August 2, 2002

Reminds me of a story I head once:

A crazy bus driver hit and killed a monkey on a mountain road. The monkey waited until the bus came back, days later I think, and attacked the driver. Crazy.
posted by tomplus2 at 9:00 AM on August 2, 2002

tomplus2: are you implying that the bus driver was attacked by a dead monkey, a ghost monkey, or what?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 9:35 AM on August 2, 2002

ghost monkey...mwhoooooooo!
posted by ColdChef at 9:41 AM on August 2, 2002

ZOMBIE MONKEYS! ph33r.
posted by Danelope at 9:43 AM on August 2, 2002

Really, who doesn't love monkeys. We had a few drunken ones running through the hotel grounds in Malaysia, jumping for tree branches, and missing. Hilarity ensued.

Careful, ghost monkeys can be deadly.
posted by apostasy at 9:51 AM on August 2, 2002

monju_bosatsu: True, but monkeys may not be the best example. Read about the less virtuous side of some monkeys here.

I'm sure this has plenty to do with the fact that the "feeding huts" have impaired the monkeys' ability to find food on their own in the wild, making them more agressive in their competition to obtain a handout.
posted by DakotaPaul at 11:30 AM on August 2, 2002

That is the best example of "Monkey Love" I have ever heard of!
posted by wiredgonzo at 11:45 AM on August 2, 2002

Murshidabad is the name of both a district and the town just north of Berhampur that heads it, jonson. And does Ananova count as a tabloid? We're even given the name of the Indian paper that first reported it. What more do you want us to do--get a translation of the original document? Please, let us have our touching monkey stories.

Catfood, thank you! I only saw the final part of the doc, so didn't know it was about animal emotion and not just monkeys. Looks like you've given me enough to find it. Oop eep!
posted by mediareport at 11:46 AM on August 2, 2002

It occurs to me that what one says of monkeys can often be said of (certain) humans.

Please, let us have our touching monkey stories.

Paging Dieter from Sprockets...
posted by beth at 12:18 PM on August 2, 2002

To add to the "monkeys aren't all angels" mentality. I read a book last summer "Mouthful of Rocks" by Christian Jennings. It is based on his experiences in the French Foreign legion, and in one section he describes how a group of monkeys would gang-sodomize the domestic pigs held by the camp. The monkeys did this several nights in a row before any of the higher ups would believe the poor sentrys who had to watch this horror. But all in all I think monkeys are hilarious especially the way the Simpson's portray them.
posted by topherbecker at 1:07 PM on August 2, 2002

But all in all I think monkeys are hilarious especially the way the Simpson's portray them.

My favorite Simpson's quote ever:

Frink: Sigh... That Monkey is going to pay...
posted by jonson at 1:11 PM on August 2, 2002

Simpsons Simian References
posted by ColdChef at 1:39 PM on August 2, 2002

Say: hi! monkey!
posted by amphigory at 4:10 PM on August 2, 2002

"a group of monkeys would gang-sodomize the domestic pigs held by the camp."

I'm sorry, but I just can't stop giggling.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 6:45 PM on August 2, 2002

"Pig beyotches was asking for it."
posted by ColdChef at 9:12 PM on August 2, 2002