Padangtegal Mandala Wisata Wanara Wana "Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary" in Ubud

                 

The Ubud Monkey Forest is a nature reserve and temple complex in Ubud, Bali

Its full name as written on a welcome sign is the

Padangtegal Mandala Wisata Wanara Wana Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

The complex houses approximately 605 Crab-eating Macaque

(Macaca fascicularis) monkeys

There are four groups of monkeys each occupying different territories in the park

The Sacred Monkey Forest is a popular tourist attraction in Ubud, and is often

visited by over 10,000 tourists a month

The forest comprises approximately a tenth of a square kilometer and

contains at least 115 different species of trees

The Monkey Forest contains the Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal temple as well

as a "Holy Spring" bathing temple and another temple used for cremation ceremonies

The Monkey Forest is owned by the village of Padangtegal, and village members serve on the Monkey Forest's governing council

The Padangtegal Wenara Wana Foundation manages the Monkey Forest and serves to maintain its sacred integrity and to promote the sacred site as a destination for visitors

The forest has been populated by monkeys in greater numbers than an environment undisturbed by humans would allow for a number of years, with the

population density now higher than ever

The visitor will notice the interesting phenomenon of numerous obese monkeys, a testament to the almost unbounded food supply the huge number of tourists entering in and near the forest provide

Tourists are bitten by monkeys daily and numerous of these attacks can be can found by a key word searches on YouTube

If the demanded food is readily provided the monkeys will usually not,

although occasionally will, bite the human owner

If the demanded food is not provided quickly enough, one or more of

the monkeys will certainly bite the human owner

Numerous bites occur because humans are not quick enough in

producing a desired food item

Monkey bites are a very serious medical event given the variety ofviruses monkeys

carry that can be transferred to humans

For example, Herpes B virus is very prevalent in crab eating macaques, should be assumed to be very prevalent in the populations in Ubud Monkey Forest,

and frequently causes death in humans