Macaque tears off forearm to escape trap in SW China

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A macaque that got caught in an illegal poacher’s animal trap in a nature reserve in southwest China has been found alive but missing its forearm, after it appears to have torn itself free in a grisly tale of survival.

The disabled macaque /The Paper Photo

A member of the public came across the trapped animal among a pack of macaques in the Baishuihe reserve near Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province on November 11.

Afraid of alarming the pack or getting injured by the steel trap himself, the witness went to inform reserve staff and local public security officials.

Armed with anesthesia guns and other equipment, reserve staff rushed to the scene but found the macaque and the trap gone. They were unable to trace it for more than two weeks

The poor creature finally turned up on Monday afternoon. The trap was gone, but its victim had suffered a terrible price. "We judge that the macaque tore off its forearm to help itself," park ranger Chen Yangfan told The Paper.

"Although now quite helpless, this was the only way for it to survive. It will have kept licking the wound to disinfect it with saliva," Chen said.

After medical assessment, experts said the macaque’s life is not in danger and its wound has closed up quickly. But disability is likely to affect its social status in the pack, they added.

Baishuihe Nature Reserve staff will continue to observe the disabled macaque and provide further aid when needed.

Macaques in Baishuihe Nature Reserve /The paper Photo

More than 300 macaques live in the nature reserve, along with a range of exotic animals including leopards, golden monkeys and pandas. The macaque that lost its forearm was a member of a 46-strong pack.

Macaques usually avoid human beings and live high in the mountains. With winter’s arrival, they and other animals come down into the valley to forage more frequently, and this is the time when poaching becomes more rampant.