Electrocuted Macaque Miraculously Recovers, Released Back Into the Wild

An electrocuted macaque who recovered back to full health after receiving medical care at WFFT’s Wildlife Hospital, has now been released back into the wild.

Our vet team undertook an urgent rescue earlier this month, after we received reports of a long-tailed macaque being electrocuted by overhead wires.

Electrocutions don’t always look too traumatic from the outside, but they can kill animals over time as the internal tissue and muscle damage worsens as time goes on.

We were really not sure that she would survive, but thanks to the dedication of our veterinary team, she managed to pull through. Crucially, this was only made possible as some kind locals discovered the injured macaque and immediately contacted us – that meant that we could administer the life-saving care that she urgently needed.

After receiving medical treatment and passing subsequent health checks, our wildlife experts agreed that this lucky long-tailed macaque was strong enough to be released. 

We are thrilled to report that she has now been released back into her forest home and returned to living in the wild.  

Sadly, electrocutions from wires and pylons are a common part of human-wildlife conflict in Thailand. It is particularly a problem for urban macaques, who live in-or-near manmade spaces like cities and villages. Such incidents are a threat to the survival of the species, with long-tailed macaques listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.  

Remember, if you see an incident where wildlife has been injured or in need of help, please contact your local wildlife rescue centre. For Phetchaburi and the surrounding areas, you can reach WFFT’s vet team on (+66) 0950126315 or our general team on (+66) 032706906.