Monkeys Climb Up & Down Jalan Besar HDB Walls, Snack On Residents’ Plants
Residents of a Jalan Besar HDB and passers-by in the area were recently awed by the sight of a squad of agile monkeys.
The primates were seen expertly and effortlessly climbing down the external walls of the building.
Their antics were caught on camera and the clip subsequently went viral on TikTok.
@ladyv_victoria He shoots, She shoots, I also shoot la! 美猴王们大闹 Jalan Besar 😂 . . #monkeyinaction #monkeys #monkeytiktok #monkey @Stomp Singapore @Mothership @The Straits Times
Many commenters were equally amazed at the animals’ climbing skills.
However, residents may not have been as amused as another video shows the monkeys snacking on fruits from potted plants.
Monkeys pull a Tom Cruise on Jalan Besar HDB
TikTok user @ladyv_victoria posted a video to the site over the weekend.
The video, which now boasts over 2.1 million views and counting, shows several monkeys hanging out on the external walls of a Jalan Besar HDB block.
It’s not clear where they came from and how they managed to get to the top of the building.
Source: @ladyv_victoria on TikTok
Faced with such steep heights that would give any expert climber a second thought, the proficient primates proceeded to climb down the perilous walls without exhibiting an ounce of fear.
One used an air-con unit as a stepping stone to reach a lower ledge, while another pulled its best impression of Tom Cruise in the ‘Mission: Impossible’ films and shimmied down a pillar.
Source: @ladyv_victoria on TikTok
Off camera, starstruck spectators audibly remarked “Wow! Wow!” at the monkeys’ skilled slides down the vertical surface.
Source: @ladyv_victoria on TikTok
Monkeys were previously spotted in Bukit Timah descending a condo the same way.
Thus, one can only wonder if it was perhaps the same squad of macaques in these videos.
Jumping in a single file
As our seasoned primate cousins continued their descent in a neat single file, the one in the lead suddenly jumped to a lower roof like something out of a video game.
As they say, “Monkey see, monkey do”, so, the group also climbed down one by one and leapt to the shelter.
They even made sure that the one before them had cleared their jump before sliding down themselves, displaying more orderly behaviour than humans at a Taylor Swift concert tickets sale.
Source: @ladyv_victoria on TikTok
One macaque decided to show off its parkour skills by scaling the barrier into the second-storey corridor.
Source: @ladyv_victoria on TikTok
As the final monkey brought up the rear, his buddy in the corridor slinked back out with a superb squeeze through the narrow gaps in the steel gate.
Source: @ladyv_victoria on TikTok
The two comrades then headed off together, proving that even monkeys make better friends than some people.
Monkeys enjoy HDB-provided lunch
This was not the only footage of the monkeys at Jalan Besar.
Another user uploaded a video to the Singapore Wildlife Sightings Facebook group showing a monkey sitting on a parapet.
The animal was treating itself to the fruits from a resident’s potted plant. Perhaps the previous video was just them getting off their lunch break and heading back to business — monkey business, that is.
Source: Sha Fogo on Facebook
In both videos, netizens were quick to point out that the monkeys were only adapting to humans’ intrusion into their habitat.
Source: Facebook
Indeed, our HDBs must be like tall residential trees with free food for them. It’s a concrete jungle after all.
If your building is frequented by monkeys, the National Parks Board advises harvesting any fruit plants regularly and installing meshes or grilles on your doors and windows.
That way, you can keep yourself safe should there be a ‘Planet of the Apes’ situation in your estate.
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Featured image adapted from @ladyv_victoria on TikTok and Sha Fogo on Facebook.
