Myanmar Series 04 - Monkeys

Monkeys are some of the most beautiful and interesting creatures in Myanmar. They mostly live in large families that often can be found around temples, where tourists as well as locals are feeding them.

They are funny and lovely creatures. But make no mistake. These little fur balls are quite the thieves. So make sure you leave no bag unattended, open or a position where it can be easily ripped from your hands. Especially if they contain food or things that look like food.

Another advice to give is to be careful to not get any bites or scratches from them. Most of them are friendly, but they can get afraid or angry and some have learned to intimidate tourists to get what they want. They have generally a lot more respect for locals. So best to visit a monkey temple with a local near you.

Ok, that was a lot of warning. All that said, they are really amazing animals and it's a blast to meet and feed them, have them sit on your back and take wonderful photos with them. They are very accustomed to us humans and like to live near us. I wouldn't call the domesticated per se, but they are self-learned to live with us and benefit from us. A little bit like cats, who are among the rare species how are self-domesticated because they enjoy us and our benefits.