Tourist casually shares bananas with his wild monkey friends

India is home to two species of wild monkeys that run free in the forests and cities, and congregate along roadsides. They are seemingly anywhere that food can be found, such as beside this roadside fruit and vegetable stand.

Dave, a tourist from Canada has always been fascinated with monkeys and he couldn't resist the opportunity to go up to these ones with a few snacks to share. The monkeys had come down from the hills and nearby forest to climb and run on a wall along this busy highway. The owner of the fruit stand and a few customers had been sharing food with the monkeys, a common practice. Somewhat used to humans, they were eager to take a banana or two from a friendly hand. There had also been peanuts spread out along the wall and on the ground, which the monkeys were snacking on.

Rhesus macaques are powerfully built and can grow to 64cm (25 inches) and weigh up to 11kg (24 lb). Agile and quick, they have the potential to be a defend themselves against most animals that would threaten them. In a troop of dozens, very few animals would take them on. They have powerful jaws and formidable teeth.

Monkeys in India have become heavily dependent on human populations for food. They forage for leftovers and scraps in trash, and they receive a considerable amount of food from tourists. Now, with the declining tourism following the coronavirus fears, monkeys are finding food much more scarce. This has led to unsettled monkey troops and fighting among monkeys for what little food there is to be had.

People can't help but be fascinated with these animals. They look so much like we do, and behave much like we do, that we see ourselves in a lot of their behavior.