This monkey is peculiar in Malaysia as
it is used by the local inhabitants to
pick coconuts from tall, slippery trees.
The plantation owner treats this monkey with care and fondness, for it helps
him to earn a living.
Coconut trees are valued, among other things, for their fruits which are
often used to make coconut oil. These trees grow quite tall: often from 2-3
storeys high. Moreover, the fruits grow at the very top, making the picking
of fruits difficult for the average farmer. This is where the monkey comes
in.
The Beruk monkey is a pig-tailed monkey which is specially-trained to
pick coconuts. It selects the nuts in response to the signals and
instructions given by its master. Once it is up on the coconut tree, it uses
its legs to get a grip on a palm leaf, then, hanging upside down, it twists
the nut with its hands until the coconut drops. The monkey accompanies its
master from one coconut estate to another and does its job remarkably well.
In this way it helps its master earn a good sum of money from the sale of
coconuts. It is an intelligent and a skilled worker. |