Man caught on video swinging bag at monkey in Mandai after it allegedly steals food
Visitors at Mandai Wildlife Reserve were left stunned on Saturday (27 Sept) when a man lashed out at a long-tailed macaque, swinging his bag at the animal after it allegedly grabbed food from his young son.
Man caught on video attacking monkey with bag
The incident was filmed by TikTok user @arandompaul and posted online the next day (28 Sept), quickly gaining traction.
In the clip, a young boy can be seen standing silently as a macaque scurries up a wooden fence.
Suddenly, a man appears and swings his bag at the monkey.
@arandompaul Can’t believe I caught this video. The monkey stole the kids food and the dad wasn’t happy. #fyp #singapore #zoo
♬ Almost forgot that this was the whole point – Take my Hand Instrumental – AntonioVivald
In the process, the bag also appears to brush against the child.
Meanwhile, the monkey dodges the blow and leaps onto a nearby tree to escape.
Source: @arandompaul on TikTok
In the background, a woman and child can be heard telling the man that he “cannot do that to the monkey”.
The clip ends shortly after, leaving it unclear whether the confrontation continued.
Netizens condemn action of man
The video drew strong reactions online, with many criticising the father for teaching his son violence instead of respect for animals.
Source: TikTok
One commenter wrote that the father had defeated the whole purpose of bringing his child to the zoo: teaching them to care for animals.
Source: TikTok
A TikTok user asked whether the zoo staff were alerted to the incident, and the Original Poster (OP) replied that they had informed them.
Source: TikTok
However, some defended the man, arguing he was simply trying to protect his son.
Source: TikTok
Monkey allegedly snatched food from boy
Speaking to MS News, the OP — a 25-year-old business traveller who wished to remain anonymous — explained what happened before he started recording.
“Prior to the incident, everyone was laughing and videoing the monkeys,” he said, adding that the boy had been carrying food when the macaque leapt on him and snatched it away.
“I didn’t see how it happened, but I saw the boy getting up,” he said.
“I turned around and everyone was laughing, so I got my phone out to record the monkey. And out of nowhere, the guy came and swung his bag at it. Everyone was really mad at him.”
The OP added that the man did not respond to other visitors and quickly left the scene. He later pointed the man out to the zoo staff.
Visitors reminded not to eat while walking
In response to MS News queries, a Mandai Wildlife Group spokesperson reminded visitors to follow park guidelines to ensure safe interactions between people and animals.
These include:
- Not eating while walking through the park
- Keeping food securely stored in bags
- Keeping a safe distance from macaques and avoiding direct eye contact
- Using monkey-proof bins to dispose of food waste
The spokesperson stressed that macaques and other native wildlife already have sufficient food in their natural habitats, and human food only disrupts their behaviour.
Wildlife guides also patrol the parks to reduce the risk of such encounters.
“We want to ensure that all our guests, and the animals around them, experience positive interactions.”
Also read: Troop of monkeys eat & chill at Woodlands HDB void deck, banana seen tossed to them
Troop of monkeys eat & chill at Woodlands HDB void deck, banana seen tossed to them
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from @arandompaul on TikTok.
