SINGAPORE, Oct 5 — A viral video from Singapore has reminded us all of an age-old principle: monkeys are better at stealing food than humans are at defending it.
TikTok user arandompaul captured the moment on September 28.
A long-tailed macaque clambers off with a child’s snack. The child watches. The father swings a blue bag at the primate. The macaque gets away. The child does not.
Bystanders can be heard chiding the man: “You can't do that!”
@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
Social media echoed the sentiment, with some criticising both the bag-wielding father and the decision to let a child snack while strolling.
A few sided with the man, arguing he was merely defending his offspring.
The Singapore Zoo, part of the Mandai Wildlife Group, reminded visitors that food should stay in well-packed bags, monkeys deserve their space, and monkey-proof bins exist for a reason.
Their spokesman added: “Native wildlife have enough to eat in the wild. No need to tempt them.”
Lesson of the day: keep snacks to yourself, respect wildlife, and maybe — just maybe — don’t let your parenting instincts turn into a slapstick routine.
