Pet Monkey Kills Elderly Owner After Being Sent Up Tree To Collect Coconuts

An elderly man has passed away after being bitten by his pet monkey while trying to teach it how to gather coconuts.

The 72-year-old suffered severe blood loss when an artery was severed by the monkey. Ngah Muhammad's son was also injured in the attack, which happened in the north-west of Malaysia.

The pair had taken the primate to 'monkey school' in order to try and train it to climb trees.

Neighbours have said that the monkey was well-trained as it was, but the family decided to send it to learn how to do other tasks, such as retrieve fruit from trees.

The coconut grove was located behind the family's house, and the son - Mohd Zakaria Ngah - became aware he'd not heard any sound in a while. He went into the back and saw his dad lying on the floor. He was unconscious with a deep wound to his wrist.

He hadn't realised the monkey had caused the injury initially, but after going over to his father, he too was attacked by the monkey, which bit him on the neck. He screamed, which alerted neighbours who came to his rescue.

Mohd told local media the family had bought the monkey when it was young.

Speaking from hospital, he said: "I was at home when it happened. After some time had passed, I found it weird because it was quiet. I did not hear my dad, there was no sound of coconuts falling and there was no sound from the monkey.

"When I arrived at the scene, I was shocked to find my father lying cold on the ground, not moving, and not far from the monkey, with his right hand bleeding."

The neighbour who first found them said he ran there after hearing the screaming and saw that the older man had already passed away but helped the son back home.

Malaysian organisation PERHILITAN (Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia) arrived at the scene and sedated and captured the monkey.

Details have still not yet been released on what type of monkey it was that bit the man. It's also unclear as to what will happen to it now.