Lorena McDonald, from Sydney, Australia, was on holiday with her family in Bali when she was attacked by a monkey at the Ubud Monkey Forest Sanctuary, leaving her with horrifying injuries
A 12 year old girl has been left seriously injured after a terrifying attack by wild monkeys, with one of them biting into her neck.
Lorena McDonald, from Sydney, Australia, was on holiday in Bali, Indonesia when she suffered the horrific injuries. Her mum, Flavia, has now called for increased protection for children and issued an urgent warning to anyone planning to visit the island.
Adding insult to injury, Lorena was hit with a staggering $6,000 (£2,930) medical bill after being rushed to hospital. As a result, her family had to fork out thousands to cover the costs.
The youngster was enjoying a day out at the Ubud Monkey Forest Sanctuary with her family during their recent holiday. However, what started as a fun-filled day quickly turned into a nightmare when the monkeys attacked her, leaving her with severe injuries and in need of emergency treatment.
Speaking to News.com.au, Flavia revealed that the family had done nothing to provoke the monkeys, insisting they had “followed all the guidelines”, but were still targeted. “A monkey jumped on my husband’s shoulders… and within seconds it went from his shoulder to my daughter’s,” she explained.
“So the monkey started pulling at her shirt, her pockets, looking in her top,” Flavia recalled. “And as I got close to her to shush it away, within five seconds, it just bit her on the neck.”
Flavia disclosed that Lorena required an essential rabies jab for her daughter to prevent a potentially deadly disease, reports the Daily Star. But after locating one medical centre with vaccines in stock, she was stunned when forced to pay out an eye-watering 60 million Indonesian rupiah – around £2,930 – for the treatment.
Due to the wounds, Lorena’s relatives are now hoping their holiday insurance purchased before the journey will cover their costs. Yet the trauma of the attack has left mum Flavia distraught and urging tourists to ensure they receive their jabs before travelling overseas.
Additionally, she advised potential visitors to remain “mindful” whilst on the island, which welcomes thousands annually. This comes as Lorena joins a string of individuals who have been attacked by the Balinese long-tailed monkey; the majority of which inhabit the Ubud Monkey Forest.
In 2019, Melbourne photographer Patrizia Accoglienza had been touring the primate sanctuary when an ape leapt onto her shoulder and chomped her neck, in a comparable manner to Lorena’s terrifying ordeal.
The wound resulted in severe bleeding, with Patrizia confessing she had been unaware of how perilous the monkeys could prove. “It happened so quickly, I was in total shock, and just pushed him off straight away,” she said.
“He jumped to a nearby ledge and showed his teeth in an aggressive manner.”
She was eventually able to receive treatment for the bite at a hospital, but was faced with a whopping £3,900 ($8,000) in medical bills. Luckily for her, her travel insurance covered the medical costs.