Why Angkor Wat's Wild Monkeys Are Causing Dangerous Chaos For Tourists

There's a reason why tourists are often warned not to disturb the wildlife. It's all fun and games until a macaque lunges at you, screeching wildly and baring its sharp teeth. A primate attack is the stuff of nightmares, and it has recently become a reality at the ruins of Angkor Wat, the most famous destination in Cambodia. Macaques have likely lived around this 900-year-old temple before it was even built. They're also social animals that integrate easily with humans, even in crowded environments. These curious primates have never posed much of a problem, but several news sources have reported a significant uptick in local macaques' aggressive behavior toward tourists.

These headlines may sound alarmist, given how popular Angkor Wat is. This sacred site in Southeast Asia is widely considered the largest spiritual structure in the world, and more than two million people have visited in a single year to admire its stone edifices, crawling vines, and Hindu-Buddhist heritage. With hundreds of primates wandering the grounds and thousands of tourists sharing the same space for much of the day, there were bound to be some heated moments, right?

Yet experts don't believe this is just a case of simians being simians. Global media have cited a specific reason for the attacks: influencers feeding monkeys. Writers from Fodors, The Times of India, and France 24 all ascribe the macaques' hostility to "YouTubers," who have a history of filming themselves giving food to local wildlife. The resulting footage is heartwarming clickbait — and it dangerously disrupts the delicate relationship between our two species.

Feeding wildlife is forbidden around the world. With the occasional exceptions of some koi ponds and petting zoos, distributing treats is considered an affront to the food chain. The danger, of course, is that animals stop foraging or hunting on their own, preferring easy handouts from tourists. When that gravy train slows, hungry macaques get agitated. They've learned that a human presence means a free lunch, so why would tourists suddenly withhold? This is a huge problem in well-trafficked places like Bali, Indonesia, where macaques live in a teeming buffet of unguarded snacks and shiny objects.

Tourists to Angkor Wat have almost certainly fed animals in the past. When faced with those glinting marble eyes, many travelers can't resist luring fuzzy friends with an expendable hunk of granola bar. But the influx of internet celebrities seems to have worsened the situation. Bonding with monkeys at a bucket-list hub is the kind of digital fantasy that TikTok was designed for, and "getting the shot" has blinded visitors to the damage they can cause. This is one aspect of social media that travel expert Rick Steves has warned about: superficial interactions that do more harm than good.

Travelers lucky enough to see Angkor Wat in person should not feed the macaques. You should probably hide any food or loose items, anyway, so as not to attract the monkeys to your person. If a macaque shows signs of aggression –– stay calm. You may open your empty hands to show that you're not hiding anything edible. Slowly back away and join a group of people, if you can. Meanwhile, if all those crowds and wildlife are making you second-guess your visit, you might consider this beautiful alternative, home to Cambodia's largest pyramid.