A nine-year-old boy was clawed and bitten by a monkey in Shenzhen's Tanglang Mountain Country Park (深圳塘朗山郊野公园) on March 23, in an incident that underscores the dangers of feeding wild animals.

According to a report published on the official WeChat public account of Shenzhen News Network (深圳新闻网), the boy, referred to as Huazhai to protect his identity, was visiting the country park known for its wild monkey sightings.

On a trail near the peak, Huazhai saw people feeding fruits to three monkeys and joined them, not expecting a monkey fight to suddenly break out when another boy tossed a banana. One of the agitated monkeys turned on Huazhai, likely due to his bright-colored clothes, and attacked him, clawing and biting his left arm.

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Huazhai's injuries were not serious, and he was discharged from the hospital after treatment and observation. However, monkey bites and scratches can lead to dangerous infections, including rabies, tetanus, and B virus, with high mortality rates.

Experts warn that injuries from wild animals, especially on the head or face, can quickly spread to the brain and pose a severe threat. While signs warn against feeding wild animals, some visitors continue to ignore them, leading to multiple reported monkey attacks in Tanglang Mountain Country Park, often targeting children or women.

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What to do if you are injured by wild animals?

Step 1: Wash the Wound

• Immediately rinse the wound with soap and running water alternately for 15 minutes.
• Use sterile gauze or cotton balls to absorb any residual liquid from the wound. Do not attempt to suck it out with your mouth.
• Finally, rinse the wound with saline solution to clean up any residue of soap water or other cleaning agents.

Step 2: Apply Pressure

• For heavy bleeding, use clean gauze to apply pressure. Do not sprinkle powder or apply toothpaste.
• For injuries to the head and face, use an ice pack wrapped in a towel for a cold compress to prevent swelling.

Step 3: Seek Medical Attention

• Seek medical care within the "golden one hour." Vaccination does not guarantee complete safety.
• If symptoms such as fever, redness, swelling, or numbness occur, immediately consult a neurosurgeon or an infectious disease specialist.

Avoid these ‘folk remedies’ as they can be dangerous

• Disinfecting the wound with baijiu (colorless Chinese liquor with a high alcohol level). This would irritate the tissue and worsen the infection.
• Ignoring the wound once it scabs over. There might be deep abscess formation.
• Believing there is no point in getting rabies shots after 24 hours. It is never too late to induce an immune response against the rabies virus, which has an incubation period of up to one year.

This article is translated by China Daily from the original report in Chinese as published on published on the official WeChat public account of Shenzhen News Network (深圳新闻网).