The Royal Thai Navy has launched a relief effort to help the monkeys of Koh Ped deal with searing temperatures.
Capt. Wirat Somjit, head of the Chumphon Naval Rating School, led a delegation to “Monkey Island” May 7 to check on the health of the island’s hundreds of long-tailed macaques.
The sailors brought watermelons, pineapples, mangos, and ripe bananas to help quench the monkeys thirst and ordered the start of missions to bring water to the monkeys.
Thirsty long-tailed macaques on “Monkey Island” are getting more aggressive in their search for water during the current heat wave.
The record heatwave has hit the monkey population of the tourist island hard. Many tourists feed the animals, but often give dried fruit, which lacks the water of the juicy fresh produce.
In response, monkeys have been stealing water bottles from human visitors and acting more aggressively due to the heat and dehydration. The navy was concerned some of the wild animals may attack tourists.
