A Monkey Stole a Man’s Phone, Took It Into the Jungle, and Filled It With Selfies

Monkeys are one of the smartest creatures on this planet; after all, we are related to some of them. Aside from their sheer intelligence, they are also known to be a highly curious species that will explore as much as they can, especially in the wild. But it still shook people when they found out that a monkey who stole a man’s phone in Malaysia was able to somehow find the camera button to take selfies and videos with it.

The Mysterious Disappearance

A young man in Johor, Malaysia, suddenly lost his phone in his bedroom overnight. There were no signs of forced entry, and no clues were left behind in the scene to find out where it went. So, what he did was call the phone repeatedly the next morning and take a walk in the nearby jungle, and finally heard it ringing.

When he got back the phone, it was left in the mud deep in the forest where no one is around. Luckily, it was still working, so he began to check it out, and that’s where he found a surprise creature he did not expect to see in his gallery.

Read more: BBC

Monkey Business Revealed

Monkey selfies: Mischievous macaque steals Malaysian man's phone

When the Malaysian man checked his phone, it was filled with dozens of selfies and videos of a monkey. The images captured are all blurry, and some rare close-ups of the Monkey’s face and mouth as if he were trying to eat it, or at least taste the phone.

The camera gallery also included some tree branches from the forest, and a very amusing video where the monkey had accidentally pressed record, as you can watch in the video above. One of the videos even showed the monkey trying to examine the phone by sniffing it, putting it in his mouth, and touching the buttons like a curious toddler.

What This Says About Monkey Intelligence

Monkeys are one of the smartest species on the planet, who is capable of sophisticated use of human tools, sign language, social skills, and problem-solving abilities. They are also capable of learning, which is why this incident occurred.

They have probably watched humans use their phones and have become curious about them. Additionally, their cognitive abilities are also among the highest. This means that they can recognize themselves in front of a mirror or a camera.

Read more: Global News

Not the First Time It Happened

Well, believe it or not, this is not the first time a monkey has stolen a phone and taken selfies using it. A somewhat similar event also happened in Indonesia in 2011, where a monkey stole a photographer’s camera and took a grinning selfie with it.

That incident actually resulted in a copyright battle since the photographer is arguing that it is his because the shot was taken with his camera. However, the rules dictate that the one who took the photo was the monkey; thus, the copyright belongs to him. However, a monkey is not able to own copyright, so no one owns the image.

Malaysian man finds selfies of monkey trying to eat his stolen phone

Author's Final Thoughts

This was a hilarious and interesting event because wildlife and technology don’t often coincide with one another. The fact that the monkey was able to take some selfies, even by accident, means they are capable of learning how to use some of the technology that we are already utilizing. This should at least remind us of how smart they can be, and how predictable nature really is.

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