Monkey uses escalator at King Albert Park MRT station to avoid staff

King Albert Park MRT station had a curious visitor recently.

On Oct. 17, a video was uploaded to social media platform Xiaohongshu, which showed a long-tailed macaque making its way up the handrails of an escalator at a MRT station in a bid to avoid a SBS Transit staff.

Staff hands box to monkey

The video showed a SBS Transit staff handing a box to the monkey sitting on the escalator sign.

The monkey took it and then dropped the box on the ground.

The monkey was then seen walking up the escalator's handrail, using it as support.

Just before reaching the top of the escalator, the monkey stopped, then jumped onto the wall, presumably to better avoid the staff who continued waving the box at the animal.

It is unclear what happened to the monkey afterwards.

Mothership has reached out to SBS Transit for more information on the matter.

Not the first time monkeys have paid visits to an MRT station

This is not the first time a macaque has paid a visit to a MRT station.

Previously in 2021, one such monkey was spotted at Lakeside MRT casually sauntering around the station, before heading to a bus stop.

In September 2023, a monkey was seen wandering inside Beauty World MRT station, which is also along the Downtown Line.

Monkeying around elsewhere

More recently, in July 2024, a monkey made the trip up six floors of a building in Bukit Timah in search of some food.

About 100 monkeys were also spotted at the Lorong Halus Red Bridge in Punggol on Jun. 17.

What to do if you encounter a macaque

Singaporeans are probably not unfamiliar with long-tailed macaques and their antics.

In areas where their behaviours have been conditioned by prolonged feeding, instances of conflict have occurred between humans and long-tailed macaques.

This is why it is important to keep a distance and avoid feeding macaques.

If in close proximity to a macaque, maintain a safe distance and do not engage in direct eye contact with it.

Do not smile and show teeth at the macaque as it perceives this as threatening behaviour.

Conceal or discard any object that might draw its attention, such as plastic bottles or plastic bags.

If a macaque approaches you while you are with a child, you can put the child on your shoulders.

This will increase your perceived size, which could deter the monkey from approaching you and your child.

Top images via 毕古麻姆喵/Xiaohongshu