Monkey see, monkey do! Stunned tourists photobombed by selfie-taking macaque in Bali
It was like a snapshot of evolution.
A cheeky monkey perhaps proved that we’re more closely related than we think after it seemingly took a selfie with two British tourists in Bali, Indonesia.
“It definitely was a trip of a lifetime!” Chloe Dennis told Caters News Agency of the primatological photo-op, which occurred while she and her husband Craig were in Ubud Sacred Monkey Forest, the Daily Mail reported.
They had reportedly spotted one of the nature reserve’s 1,260 Balinese long-tailed macaques, whereupon, like many tourists, they decided to get a photo.
However, things took a turn when the primate appeared to take the pic instead of the people.
The resultant photo shows the tech-savvy tree climber seemingly taking a selfie while “smiling” as Chloe and Craig gaze at the camera in disbelief.
This isn’t the first time a primate has caught themselves on camera.
In 2011, a crested macaque named Naruto, sparked an international uproar after snapping photos of himself smiling using a camera that was left unattended in Sulawesi, Indonesia.
When the device’s owner David Slater — who was on assignment at the time — published the photos in a book, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) sued him on the monkey’s behalf.
They claimed that selling the pictures infringed upon the monkey’s rights under the Copyright Act.
However, the defendant argued that his company Wildlife Personalities Ltd., owned worldwide commercial rights to the photos.
The case concluded in 2018 after a U.S. appeals court ruled ultimately in favor of Slater on the grounds that animals can’t file copyright infringement lawsuits.
