During her visit to Bali, a tourist found herself in a situation where she had no choice but to witness a local monkey tearing her passport to pieces.
Despite her attempts to negotiate for its return, the passport seemed irreparable after the mischievous actions of the monkey.
The increasing menace of monkey theft poses a growing concern for tourists on the Indonesian island, as reports suggest that monkeys are adapting by holding valuable items hostage in exchange for food.
The footage was recorded by a local resident named @noemirojasr in Bali and subsequently shared on her Instagram account. Just three days ago, it was reposted by the popular Idiiots in Bali account.
In the video, a tourist faced a challenging situation as a monkey sat on the railing inspecting her passport. The tourist, already visibly distressed, encountered heightened tension when the primate began using its mouth on the passport.
Page by page, the monkey tore apart the crucial travel document, rendering it instantly unusable. As a result, the affected visitor will likely need to seek assistance from an embassy to facilitate their return home.
Despite the woman’s effort to offer a different item, seemingly in an attempt to divert the monkey’s attention, the strategy proved unsuccessful. Instead, another monkey joined the scene, startling the tourist.
As a piece of information, monkeys are notorious for theft in Bali, prompting officials to caution tourists in Indonesia to stay vigilant with their possessions when in areas frequented by roaming monkeys. While these creatures often target less significant items like sunglasses or water bottles, they have also been known to snatch more valuable objects.
For instance, an Australian insurance company, Southern Cross Travel, reported a claim of $8,560 for a bag stolen by a monkey in Uluwatu, Bali. The bag contained items such as hearing aids, a phone, and money. Over the past five years, the company states that it has disbursed $17,000 in insurance claims to travellers who fell victim to monkey theft in Bali.
? OH SNAP! A feisty monkey snatches a tourist’s passport in Bali… and does his worst: he rips it up!! pic.twitter.com/2UWVjbmT69
— John-Carlos Estrada ?? (@Mr_JCE) January 17, 2024