July 30, 2025
Monkey Mafia
Timothy Birdnow
I've heard of monkey business, but monkey mafia?
Monkeys lift wallets and other things from tourists in Bali and turn them in to their Capos for rewards.
From the Wall Street Journal article:
Monkey see monkey screw. They must have been trained by Democrats.
I've heard of monkey business, but monkey mafia?
Monkeys lift wallets and other things from tourists in Bali and turn them in to their Capos for rewards.
From the Wall Street Journal article:
Every week, they steal dozens of phones, wallets and other valuables from tourists in broad daylight and exchange them for handsome rewards. It’s been going on for decades and nobody’s been able to stop it.
The culprits? Long-tailed macaques.
"The monkeys have taken over the temple,” said Jonathan Hammé, a tourist from London whose sunglasses were stolen by a monkey during a visit last year. "They’re running a scam.”
On the southern tip of the Indonesian vacation hot spot known for its beaches, tourists flock to Uluwatu Temple for traditional fire dance shows and panoramic views at sunset with the Indian Ocean crashing below. The Balinese Hindu site dates back to at least the 11th century and the roughly 600 monkeys that inhabit it are considered by locals to be sacred guardians of the temple.
Primate researchers have found that the macaques steal belongings to use as currency to trade with humans for food. Some monkeys can distinguish between objects we highly value (smartphones, prescription glasses, wallets) and those we don’t (hats, flip flops, hair clips)—and will barter accordingly, according to a University of Lethbridge team that spent years filming the macaques and analyzing hundreds of hours of footage.
In other words, the monkeys have "unprecedented economic decision-making processes,” the researchers wrote in a 2021 academic paper. Talk about monkey business.
The culprits? Long-tailed macaques.
"The monkeys have taken over the temple,” said Jonathan Hammé, a tourist from London whose sunglasses were stolen by a monkey during a visit last year. "They’re running a scam.”
On the southern tip of the Indonesian vacation hot spot known for its beaches, tourists flock to Uluwatu Temple for traditional fire dance shows and panoramic views at sunset with the Indian Ocean crashing below. The Balinese Hindu site dates back to at least the 11th century and the roughly 600 monkeys that inhabit it are considered by locals to be sacred guardians of the temple.
Primate researchers have found that the macaques steal belongings to use as currency to trade with humans for food. Some monkeys can distinguish between objects we highly value (smartphones, prescription glasses, wallets) and those we don’t (hats, flip flops, hair clips)—and will barter accordingly, according to a University of Lethbridge team that spent years filming the macaques and analyzing hundreds of hours of footage.
In other words, the monkeys have "unprecedented economic decision-making processes,” the researchers wrote in a 2021 academic paper. Talk about monkey business.
Monkey see monkey screw. They must have been trained by Democrats.
Posted by: Timothy Birdnow at
07:53 AM
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1
Indeed they must. I hadn't heard of any of our Democrats going on junkets to Bali, but it wouldn't surprise me to learn that they have, perhaps undercover.
Posted by: Dana Mathewson at July 31, 2025 12:12 AM (/DT7Z)
2
Yeah Dana; if for nothing more than to learn from Nature.
Posted by: Timothy Birdnow at July 31, 2025 06:25 AM (AauBe)
3
I found this article very helpful. The points you made are spot on and easy to understand. Keep up the excellent work
Posted by: Dharamshala Dalhousie Tour Package at August 01, 2025 11:50 PM (K+HAM)
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