On the evening of January 5, representatives of the Quan Hoa Forest Protection Unit said they were coordinating with local authorities to drive away a pig-tailed macaque that had entered a residential area and attacked a resident.
The pig-tailed macaque is seen at a home in Hoi Xuan Commune. Photo by a local resident.
According to the unit, at around 7.45 am on January 4, the macaque came down from the forest into Kham Hamlet, Hoi Xuan Commune. The animal entered the garden of Pham Ba Dien, picked fruit, killed a domestic chicken and ate 10 eggs.
At about 7 am the following day, the macaque again left the forest and entered the home of Pham Thi Chien, 68, who lives near the forest edge. The animal attacked her, injuring her arm and forcing her to be hospitalised, where she received 15 stitches.
After verification, authorities confirmed the animal was a pig-tailed macaque (Macaca nemestrina). The Quan Hoa Forest Protection Unit has deployed two rangers to remain on site, coordinating with local officials to monitor the situation and promptly drive the macaque back into the forest if it reappears.
The pig-tailed macaque is listed as a rare and endangered forest species under Group IIB in Vietnam and is subject to restrictions on exploitation, captivity and trade.
