An Incident During a Video Shoot of a One-Month-Old Baby Monkey! Mama Monkey Made Me Angry
Filming wildlife can be a beautiful experience, but it can also be unpredictable, especially when dealing with protective mothers and their young. One afternoon, I set out with my camera, excited to capture the precious moments of a one-month-old baby monkey in the jungle. The baby had just started exploring the world, and I wanted to document its playful innocence. However, I never expected the mama monkey to test my patience and make me so frustrated.
I had been following this monkey troop for weeks, carefully observing their interactions and learning about their behaviors. The baby monkey, whom I had nicknamed “Toto,” was an adorable little thing, still unsteady on its tiny feet but full of curiosity. He had big, round eyes that sparkled with wonder, and his fur was soft and golden, giving him an almost angelic appearance.
As I set up my camera at a safe distance, Toto was clinging to his mother’s belly. She, a strong and experienced mother named Rika, was perched on a thick tree branch, grooming herself while keeping an eye on her surroundings. I waited patiently, hoping to capture a tender moment between mother and child.
After a few minutes, Toto grew restless. He loosened his grip on his mother and attempted to crawl down her arm. It was a moment of bravery for the tiny monkey, his first steps toward independence. My camera was focused, ready to capture this milestone. But then, just as Toto took his first unsteady step on the tree branch, Rika suddenly yanked him back with force, causing him to squeak in surprise.
At first, I thought it was just a protective gesture, but then something unexpected happened. Instead of holding him gently, Rika seemed agitated. She roughly pulled him close and then, to my shock, shoved him away again! Toto tumbled onto a lower branch, his little body twisting in mid-air before he managed to grab hold just in time.
My heart pounded. Was this normal behavior? Why was she acting so aggressively?
Toto, clearly frightened, clung to the branch and let out a series of soft cries. He wasn’t injured, but he was confused. Rika, however, showed no signs of concern. She simply sat back and ignored him, as if testing whether he would climb back to her or fend for himself.
I felt a mix of emotions—confusion, concern, and even frustration. As a wildlife observer, I knew not to interfere, but seeing such behavior was difficult. I had spent weeks watching this mother and baby bond, and now, for some reason, she seemed indifferent to her own child’s distress.
Toto hesitated for a few seconds before making his way back up to his mother. He reached out, trying to hold onto her, but Rika didn’t embrace him immediately. Instead, she let him struggle for a moment before finally pulling him close again. It was almost as if she was teaching him a lesson.
That’s when I realized—this wasn’t cruelty. It was tough love.
In the wild, baby monkeys need to develop strength and independence early. Mothers sometimes push them away not out of anger, but to encourage them to build resilience. Rika was doing what all experienced monkey mothers do—preparing her child for the challenges of life.
Still, it was hard to watch. Toto nestled against her chest again, his little fingers gripping her fur tightly, and she finally relaxed, gently grooming his head. It was as if the test was over, and he had passed.
As I packed up my camera, I let out a sigh, realizing that nature has its own way of teaching life lessons. What had made me angry at first now made sense. Rika was not a bad mother—she was just making sure her baby would survive in the wild.
And as the sun set behind the trees, I left with a new understanding of motherhood, patience, and the unexpected challenges that come with filming the secret lives of animals.
