VietNamNet Bridge – A monkey bit a tourist on Saturday morning while a group of students visited the Son Tra Nature Reserve.

The monkey, which was released to nature last Friday, could not find food and its flock in the area. — Photos courtesy GreenViet

Bui Van Tuan, a biologist from the Centre for Biodiversity Conservation, GreenViet, said the monkey (Macaca leonia) was released by rangers last week, but the area is not its natural habitat.

"The group of visitors saw the monkey and stopped to take photos of it," Tuan said. "However, the monkey suddenly snatched the camera for one visitor's hand, as it thought it was food. The monkey bit the tourist when she tried to pull back her camera."

The victim, Phan Thi Thu Giang, was bit on the face, but she was in good health after receiving treatment and vaccinations at Da Nang General Hospital, according to Tuan.

Tuan said it would act aggressively and attack people in self-defence.

He warned that tourists should not approach monkeys to give them food or gather in groups to observe them.

Forest rangers from the Son Tra Forest Protection Department are searching for the monkey.

A monkey bites a tourist in Son Tra Nature Reserve in Da Nang City on Saturday.

Tran Huu Vy, a monkey researcher, said any overtures from humans might trigger defensive actions from the monkey. He said it needed to be cared for at a wild animal rescue centre before being released into the forest.

Vy said monkey and wildlife species that had been in captivity a long time and were fed by people should be sent to rescue centres rather than be released into the wild, as they most likely had lost all knowledge about searching for food.

Son Tra Mountain located 600 metres above sea level is one of the most visited sites in the peninsula.

In March, a monkey released by a resident also bit some tourists in the area.

VNS