Throwback Thursday – Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

Welcome to another Throwback Thursday post!  This post will reminisce about our visit to Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud, Bali.  It was definitely memorable for us!   The inhabitants of Monkey Forest are long-tailed macaque monkeys.  This sanctuary is home to four distinct troops that live among temples and lush greenery... a total of about 605 individuals.

They generally don't just  jump onto your shoulder...that is unless they are interested in stealing your glasses or earrings.  However, there were staff people that for a small price would interest them in a tidbit that encouraged them to jump up for a photo op.
Paul got his little friend to sit quite still for the camera.

The kids wanted to do it too, but with mom near them.  So, we got the obliging little primate to sit on my shoulder but then he quickly leaned forward and put his front hands on Josiah's head.  Si LOVED it!

 

The staff person handed the treat to Alia and the monkey then climbed over onto her head to get it.  The big kids loved it but Thys was super glad the monkey didn't touch him.  Thys liked to be in pictures with the monkeys but he did not want to get too close.

 

This guy was laying upside down.  He was totally chill.

 

This was the best we could get of all of us with the monkeys. They were almost constantly moving and although it was easy to walk closely among them, getting a pic of our family with them was more difficult.  When we knelt down for this photo there were 4 monkeys in front of us...by the time we got the shot 3 had run away and the fourth was right behind.  We actually thought we missed the shot before he left too but we were happy to see he was just getting up when the shutter clicked! YAY!

 

In my last post I told about offerings that people purchase to bless and protect. This is what a common offering looks like.

 

We were warned that the monkeys commonly steal your belongings if you don't have them packed away or held onto tightly.  A man standing near us wasn't holding his water bottle tightly enough and in a second it was 50 feet up on the trees!

 

Shortly before we left, we were sitting and watching some women who were feeding the monkeys and this guy ran over and got up on my shoulder in an instant.  I quickly took off my glasses so he couldn't steal them.  Nice face, Thys!

 

Then, just as quickly as he jumped up, he reached around and stuck 2 fingers up my nostrils!  It was NOT a pleasant experience!  I pulled his hand away from my nose and then he started to seem agitated and tried to pull my hair clip out so Paul shoo-ed him away before I got bit!  Yikes!

Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary: a fun place to visit--just be sure they stay away from your nostrils! Please comment below and tell me your strange animal encounters stories!  I want to hear them!

And for all of my midwife/doula/birth advocate friends next weeks post:  Throwback Thursday - Bumi Sehat Birth Center