You have probably seen some cute photos of monkeys in India and you know that Indians eat different foods than what we eat in the West, but are monkeys eaten in India?
Killing monkeys is illegal in India, according to the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. However, there is some evidence that monkeys have been eaten in the jungles of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. PETA also claims that India has illegal “wet markets” selling monkeys for consumption.
Unless you’re dining in jungles with indigenous tribes or going to black markets, you aren’t going to see or hear of anyone eating monkey in India.
You will see a lot of monkeys in India though (there are an estimated 40,000 in New Delhi alone). Like people in every culture throughout time, Indians have eaten the creatures that live in their habitat.
Some cultures still eat monkeys too!
In this article, we’ll cover the instances where monkeys have been eaten in India, where they are currently being eaten, and how monkeys are sacred here.
Where Are Monkeys Eaten?
Monkey meat is a common food in bush meat stalls in the jungles of Central Africa. In the Japanese city of Nagano and the town of Hongu, monkey is considered a delicacy. However, it is rarely eaten today.
One Japanese proverb states:
“Don’t feed your wife autumn monkey – to do so would be to waste a fine-tasting delicacy.”
Nagano Proverb
There are also rumors of monkeys being eaten in China and other Asian countries, but very little evidence.
There are a number of reasons for this. One is just that it is socially unacceptable. The other is that the similar genetic makeup of monkeys could increase your risk of disease.
At least one scientist claims that eating monkey could result in an increased risk of contracting deadly diseases:
The increased human contact with chimpanzees led to SIV chimpanzee mutating into what is today HIV-1. Ebola may also be spread by the consumption of primates; although it kills them just as it kills us, it can be contracted from their dead bodies.
Cleve Hicks, primatologist
Where Have Monkeys Been Eaten in India?
With so many monkeys and people living together, it’s not hard to imagine that monkeys have been eaten at some times in India.
In the northeast state of Nagaland, known for having indigenous tribes and miles of uninhabited jungles, a study was done on the ethnozoological practices and found:
Meat of all monkey species is eaten by Naga tribes. It is [the] general belief that monkey meat cures tuberculosis, stomach disorder[s], and general weakness.
N.S. Jamir & P. Lal, Ethnozoological practices among Naga tribes. Department of Botany, Department of Zoology at Nagaland University
Hey, if you’re living in the jungle and wanting a decent meal, it’s not hard to imagine that eating a monkey could come to your mind.
The tribes in Nagaland are known for eating many types of meat that are considered less desirable:
- Dog – It is a popular dish and you can buy it at street markets.
- Roasted Intestines – Often it comes from a pig, which is a commonly eaten animal.
- Snakes – It is thought that the meat helps wounds heal and improves eyesight.
- Mice – In the jungle, the mice are bigger and these are killed and eaten. They are thought to improve health.
- Ants – Sometimes they are eaten alive and do have a lot of protein
In the northeastern state of Meghalaya, it was reported that a man was arrested for killing and eating a monkey. This fellow decided to not only kill one, but he posted the photos on Facebook and was reported to PETA and the police.
In the central-eastern state of Chhattisgarh, it was reported that a photograph circulated around the internet with stacks of monkey carcasses. This was in a rural area and the offenders were said to have eaten them and traded them to locals.
[The] bush meat trade of jackal, mongoose, foxes is illegally active in many parts of the country and [a] few years ago poachers and nomadic tribe from Andhra Pradesh used to visit south Bastar to kill snakes. On the same lines now, poaching of monkeys has started. They pack the meat and brain to export to Africa, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China and other countries through agencies.
AMK Bharos, president of Chhattisgarh wildlife
PETA India has released a video showing “wet markets,” which sell monkeys and other illegal or taboo animals… some of which are alive.
However, for most people traveling or living in India, you won’t see any monkeys on the menu nor have an opportunity to eat them.
But you may have watched the Indiana Jones movie by Stephen Spielberg where the local Indians ate monkey brains…
Do Indians Eat Chilled Monkey Brains like in Indian Jones?
Indians don’t eat chilled monkey brains like the scene from the Indiana Jones movie. This scene was probably inspired by a fictional scene in the smut film, Faces of Death (1972).
In the film, Faces of Death, it depicts a staged scene in a restaurant where a monkey is strapped into a table with only his head exposed. The patrons then use hammers to crack open the monkey’s skull, then eat his brains.
It’s gruesome and graphic.
When I was actually a young dumb kid in high school, someone had played the video at a slumber party and it was so shocking I still remember it to this day.
I didn’t know at the time that the blood was only red food coloring, the brain fluid was gelatin, and the brain was cauliflower.
The scene in the Indiana Jones movie, the Temple of Doom (1984), is similar, yet not as grotesque nor realistic. It’s obviously done for a humorous gross-out effect.
However, the scene has been criticized as being racist and portraying Indian culture as exotic, cruel, and weird.
If you were to ask an Indian friend if this were true, you may risk offending them. Because most Indians eat normal modern foods like most other people in the world.
Monkeys, like many animals in India, are even highly respected.
Are Monkeys Sacred in India?
The langur or Hanuman langur is sacred in Hinduism. It is named after the Hindu god that takes the form of a monkey, Hanuman.
Hanuman is the commander of the monkey army and one incarnation of Lord Shiva, the most powerful of Hindu deities.
Hanuman is associated with determination, devotion, and strength.
While Hanuman is revered, most monkeys are just generally dealt with. In fact, there are so many they can be a nuisance.
In the first 11 months of 2015 in New Delhi, there were 1,823 monkey bites reported.
If you are in an area with a lot of monkeys, keep an eye on your camera, your bag, and especially any food you have on you.
As the population of monkeys has increased, they have all sorts of strategies to get food.
A friend told me a monkey bit him on the leg and another had a monkey steal food from her backpack. I’ve been in restaurants where monkeys jump in and steal food from someone’s table and aggressively taught the staff.
I’ve also seen sadhus and chai wallahs carry sling shots to keep the monkeys at bay.
Final Words
Eating monkeys is illegal in India and not a common practice, although it may happen in a few jungle areas. Indians also don’t eat chilled monkey brains like what is depicted in Indiana Jones. Eating monkeys may in fact be very unhealthy and increase your risk of diseases like Ebola.
Indian people respect monkeys in the same way they respect many animals, however, with so many they can be a nuisance.
If you’re interested in other questions about India, I saw that some people were asking: Do Indian Restaurants Sprinkle Cow Urine On Your Food? I realize the question is a bit weird but I did some research and shared the answer in the linked article and a video.
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