By RV Student Editorial Club
RVians went bananas over a visit by a couple of playful primates early last Thursday afternoon.
Students participating in the JC Orientation had first spotted two macaques near the roof of the Multi-Purpose Courts (MPC).
Baffled and amazed by the novel sight, many students took the opportunity to snap pictures of these marauding macaques.
Photo credit: Ng Mei Jia (21J01)
Nearby, Ng Mei Jia (21J01) and her friends were headed for lunch when she saw the macaques. The macaques caught sight of them and made their way towards the students, jumping off a ledge onto Block C.
“Honestly it really caught us off guard, so some of us screamed while others took pictures,” Mei Jia said.
The macaques then proceeded to climb up to level four of Block C, loitering for a few minutes along the corridor.
Photo Credit: Foo Chuan Siang (21J01)
Soon after, the macaques ventured into 21J02, and in their exploit, ransacked some stationery out of a bag. They also plundered a thermometer, perhaps to take their temperature and make up for their lack of SafeEntry check-in earlier.
“I was initially confused as to how such a thing could happen, and was disappointed to have my property damaged,” said the victim of the ransacking, who wished to remain anonymous.
“But I was fortunate that no other valuable items were lost or damaged,” the 21J02 student said.
Photo credit: Clarice Yeo (21J21)
It was also fortuitous that photographers from the JC Orientation Media and Communications Committee were on hand to snap a few pictures of these mischief-making macaques.
“We went up to level 3 to get a closer shot but they followed us there and started “climbing” towards us,” said Clarice Yeo (21J21).
“At first we were super entertained by the macaques, but after it started chasing us, we got scared.”
The macaques were last seen near the auditorium, although their current location remains unknown.
It is unclear where the macaques had come from, or how they managed to get into the school. Many speculate that the macaques are the same exact zooperstars that took Tik Tok by storm a couple of days earlier.
Photo Credit: Wong Jia Xuan, Brighton (21J21)
While this unexpected encounter brought much excitement to RVians on a wet Thursday afternoon, it is important to remember that the macaques are still wild animals and as such, need to be treated with utmost respect.
Here are some tips on how to react when encountering these curious creatures:
As their natural habitat continues to be encroached by Singapore’s relentless development, it is also inevitable that more of these beautiful creatures will come into spaces that humans occupy.
As such, let us be mindful of the role that we can play in ensuring that safe spaces still exist for them to carry out their monkey business.
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