Spider Monkey Attacks Woman in Chiapas Store

Comitán, Chiapas — An incident involving a spider monkey caused concern and uncertainty among residents of the municipality of Comitán, Chiapas, after the animal entered a grocery store and attacked the woman who was attending the business.

The events occurred in the Belisario Domínguez neighborhood, where the primate, which was allegedly kept as a pet, assaulted the shopkeeper and caused a tear in one of her arms, an injury that required specialized medical attention.

According to images captured by a security camera, the monkey descended from its owner’s vehicle and entered the establishment directly, where it suddenly attacked the woman.

During the aggression, the animal also put a minor who was at the location at risk; however, the girl managed to run and leave the site before being injured.

After the attack, the owner of the spider monkey briefly entered the store to find out what was happening, seconds later she left and said she would return to help, but first she would lock up the animal. According to neighbors, the owner of the primate never returned.

Residents of the neighborhood indicated that the spider monkey usually roams freely through the streets, enters businesses and homes, and causes various damages, so they expressed their concern about possible new incidents.

In light of what happened, neighbors demanded that municipal authorities investigate whether the owner has the necessary permits for possession of the animal, as well as compensation for the victim and increased surveillance in the area.

For its part, personnel from the Zoonosis department of Sanitary Jurisdiction number III reported that timely attention was provided to the injured woman and activated the epidemiological surveillance protocol for spider monkey bites. Additionally, the prophylactic human anti-rabies vaccination scheme was initiated to ensure her safety and recovery.

Finally, health authorities reiterated the call to the population not to keep wildlife as pets, as it represents risks to people’s health and integrity, and reminded that in the event of any aggression of this type, the wound should be washed immediately and the nearest medical unit should be visited.