Clinic to be Built to Prevent Rabies

A staff member at the Alas Pala Sangeh tourist attraction was seen applying alcohol to the back of a foreign tourist after the individual was scratched by a monkey while exploring the 14-hectare primate forest. The Chairman of the Alas Pala Sangeh Destination Management (DTW), Ida Bagus Gede Pujawan, stated that the forest has established Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for handling monkey scratches and bites. These procedures include washing the affected area, applying alcohol, and using antiseptics. For more serious bite wounds, the administration mandates the administration of the anti-rabies vaccine (VAR) as a standard service.

Data from the Alas Pala Sangeh DTW indicates that in June 2026, there were 11 incidents involving tourists being scratched or bitten by monkeys, out of a total of 19,810 visitors. Between 1 and 25 July, 29 incidents were recorded, consisting of 13 tourists being scratched and the remainder being bitten, during a period when visitor numbers reached 23,113. According to Bali Health Office data, there were 34,561 cases of rabies-transmitting animal bites across the province from January to June 2026, with Badung Regency recording 6,599 cases.

Pujawan noted that the monkeys in Alas Pala Sangeh are generally not aggressive unless provoked or handled by tourists. To enhance safety, the management plans to build a clinic within the tourist area, with medical personnel and vaccine supplies to be provided by the Abiansemal Community Health Centre (Puskesmas). The construction is currently awaiting approval from the Sangeh Traditional Village (Desa Adat Sangeh). Currently, injured tourists are transported directly to the Abiansemal health centre for vaccinations.

Pujawan claimed that the Alas Pala Sangeh destination has maintained zero rabies cases since its opening in January 1969. The new clinic is intended to alleviate tourist concerns regarding rabies exposure. On-site staff and photographers actively monitor visitors, providing instructions on how to interact with the approximately 700 long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) safely, while loudspeakers and warning signs are used to discourage tourists from disturbing the primates.