Wild Monkey Attacks Girl in Marunda, North Jakarta; Origin Under Investigation

Jakarta, BKSDA Jakarta is still tracing the origin of a group of wild long-tailed macaques that attacked a girl in the Marunda area, Cilincing, North Jakarta. Marwan Shofa, head of the Jakarta BKSDA, said the agency is currently conducting checks with several relevant parties to confirm the origin of the troop of long-tailed macaques. ‘BKSDA Jakarta is currently attempting to conduct field tracing and verification with relevant parties to determine the origin of the animal group,’ he said in a statement on Thursday (21 May 2026). ‘Determining the origin of the animal population cannot be concluded based on supposition alone; it must be supported by field observations, mapping of habitat corridors, patterns of animal movement, and other ecological studies,’ he added. Ecologically, the long-tailed macaque is a wild animal with high adaptability and can be found in a variety of environments, from mangrove areas, riverbanks, secondary forests, to urban areas adjacent to human activity. ‘In the Jabodetabek area itself, the presence of long-tailed macaques has been recorded in several buffer zones, including mangrove areas, river banks, and green open spaces that still have ecological corridors,’ Marwan said. The Jakarta BKSDA will coordinate across regions if there are indications of animal movements from buffer zones outside the DKI Jakarta area. ‘BKSDA Jakarta also urges the public not to take actions that could provoke the animals’ aggression, not to feed them directly, and to report to officers if they encounter wildlife that could cause disturbance,’ he added. It is known that the emergence of wild monkeys in Marunda, North Jakarta, has made residents uneasy. As a result of the attack, the victim required 30 stitches for bite wounds. The victim’s grandmother, Badriah (57), said the incident occurred while her grandchild was looking after her younger sibling in front of their house. At that time, she said, M was going to feed bananas to the family’s pet monkey. However, suddenly a wild monkey came from behind and immediately attacked the victim. According to Badriah, the wild monkey had been seen roaming around the neighbourhood for about the last week. In fact, the animal was seen again shortly before Kompas.com arrived at the scene on Thursday. ‘It comes every day,’ she said. The situation has left local residents anxious, especially regarding the safety of children who usually play outside the house. ‘Children who normally play outside are not brave anymore,’ Badriah said.