The Japanese police are employing tranquilizer guns to curb the wave of attacks by wild monkeys that have terrified locals.
In recent weeks, 42 individuals, including children and the elderly, were reported hurt in Yamaguchi city.
The attacks are attributed to macaques from Japan.
However, while they are a ubiquitous sight in many regions of the country, these instances are rare.
“It is unusual to see so many attacks in such a short period,” said a city official who declined to provide their name. “Initially, only women and children were targeted. Recently, older adults and adult men have also been targeted.”
Traps were unsuccessful in capturing the animals, and police patrols conducted since the initial incident in early July have failed to discourage the perpetrators.
Authorities are also uncertain as to whether a single or more rogue monkeys are responsible for the attacks.
A variety of injuries have been reported by local media, including scratches, leg and hand bites, and bites to the neck and stomach.
A four-year-old child was scratched during an apartment break-in, while a monkey entered a kindergarten classroom in another incident.
Some residents have experienced multiple invasions of their homes by primates who enter through sliding screen doors or open windows.
“I heard wailing coming from the ground floor, so I hurriedly descended,” one Japanese father told the media. Then I noticed a monkey crouched over my child.
Once an endangered species, the Japanese macaque population has recently increased. They are presently classified as “Least Concern” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
According to a study conducted at Yamagata University, the macaques’ comeback has sparked “severe confrontations between humans and macaques.”
According to the study, the decrease in distance between people and macaques is to blame. Possible causes include shifting cultural attitudes toward macaques, changes in human behavior, and changes in forest ecosystems.
