Monkeys terrorize Japanese city, attacking 58 people this month, officials say

YAMAGUCHI, Japan — What sounds like a horror movie plot is all too real for residents of one Japanese city, where officials say angry monkeys have been attacking dozens of people, attempting to snatch babies and creeping into schools.

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According to The Associated Press, Japanese macaques have attacked at least 58 people – primarily senior citizens and children – in Yamaguchi since July 8. The victims have included a baby girl, a 4-year-old at school and a woman who was hanging laundry on her porch, the AP and The New York Times reported.

The monkeys “are so smart, and they tend to sneak up and attack from behind, often grabbing at your legs,” city official Masato Saito told the AP.

Although none of the attacks have resulted in serious injuries, wildlife officials worry that the animals could infect humans with diseases, such as hepatitis B, according to the news outlets.

After traps failed to capture the monkeys, the city hired a team armed with tranquilizer guns to hunt the macaques, the AP reported. A 15-pound, 1.6-foot-tall male monkey responsible for some attacks was captured and killed Tuesday, the news agency reported.

While the motivation for the attacks wasn’t immediately clear, primate expert Hiroto Enari wrote in a 2021 study that the macaque population’s considerable growth since post-World War II conservation efforts began has “provoked and intensified” conflicts between the animals and humans, the Times reported.

– The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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