Tied Tombs with Ropes Still Not Enough: Monkeys Jump atop Gravestones in Fear [World Report]

Monkeys cross the road completely unfazed by moving cars.

Some are even seen lying on top of vehicles or freely climbing over fences.

Recently in Japan, monkeys have been frequently appearing in residential neighborhoods.

[Resident: They used to stay in secluded areas, mostly up in the mountains. It is frightening.]

Damages are also mounting.

In Yamaguchi Prefecture, a man was injured when a monkey lunged at him from a roof.

[Victim Resident: I was so scared that my legs went weak. I immediately fled inside the house.]

In Gifu Prefecture, damage to cemeteries has occurred repeatedly.

Monkeys pull out plastic flowers, leap onto gravestones, and push stone structures down.

[Victim Resident: I do not know if it is for a purpose or just playing around. This is a first. We have never had anything like this before.]

Even though graves are firmly secured with ropes and alarm systems have been installed, the anxiety does not go away.

[Cemetery Manager: It costs a lot of money to keep the monkeys out. I just desperately wish they would not come...]

Unlike the past, the reason monkeys now venture down to residential areas is related to the increase in abandoned houses.

As a wildlife damage support organization attached GPS trackers to monkeys and investigated their movement routes for a year, they appeared around empty houses with high frequency.

This is because uninhabited houses are not only safe shelters, but persimmon and chestnut trees growing in the yards also provide a food source.

Consequently, the likelihood of encountering monkeys in daily life has increased.

[Miki Kiyomasa / Expert: Even if we do not intend to, getting a little close to take a picture or staring intently can act as a trigger that angers the monkeys.]

Particularly in autumn and winter, which are the mating seasons, monkeys exhibit more aggressive behavior, requiring hikers to exercise caution during the autumn season as well.

(Video reporting: Moon Hyun-jin)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.