A small group of macaques in the wild in Asia.

Rescue update

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31 long-tailed macaques are now safe

The long-standing tradition of "Topeng Monyet", where monkeys are forced to perform on streets for entertainment, has caused untold suffering for long-tailed macaques. World Animal Protection, in collaboration with the Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN), has rescued the last remaining troupe of dancing monkeys in Indonesia. These long-tailed macaques have endured years of physical and emotional trauma, but the monkeys have now started their journey to freedom and we couldn’t do it without your help. 

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The rescue

In a rescue operation, 31 monkeys were saved from the last training village in Cirebon, Indonesia. Taken from the wild as babies, many of these monkeys have lived most of their lives in fear and captivity. They were brutally trained, often starved and beaten, forced to wear masks and doll costumes while standing on two legs to beg for money on the streets. 

Now, they’ve been transported to JAAN’s rehabilitation centre in Cikole, West Java, where they will receive the care and love they’ve always deserved. The rescue not only marks the end of cruel dancing monkey performances in Cirebon but brings Indonesia closer to a future free from this inhumane practice. 

A new beginning for the monkeys  

Each of the monkeys is undergoing a quarantine and rehabilitation process to heal from their physical and psychological wounds. They’ll receive medical care, learn to forage, climb, and interact with one another - important steps toward regaining the wild instincts they were born with. Many of the monkeys, like Jono and Monon, were cruelly abused from a young age, but their rescue offers hope for a brighter future. 

Our hope is to eventually release these monkeys back into the wild, where they can thrive in natural family groups. JAAN’s expert team will work to create social bonds between the rescued monkeys, so they can be released together. 

enforcement and to help former handlers transition to new livelihoods, ensuring this is the last generation of dancing monkeys. 

A monkey being medically examined after its rescue

Jono's story

From the age of just eight months, Jono was subjected to the harsh reality of life as a "dancing monkey," performing for people in the streets.

A photo collage of Unyil, a rescued monkey. The left image shows him happily eating fruit, while the right image depicts him in captivity, tethered by a leash.

Unyil's story

The two-year-old long-tailed macaque has faced a heartbreaking start to life. Stolen from his natural habitat as a baby, Unyil witnessed his mother being killed in the brutal process of capturing him.

 

Image credits: Images are by Jakarta Animal Aid Network