The long-tailed macaque, later named Rocket, was spotted just outside Bangkok with a metal arrow sticking out of its face.
A monkey on the brink of death made an incredible recovery after photos posted online showing the animal shot in the head led to its rescue and life-saving surgery.
The long-tailed macaque, later named Rocket, was spotted just outside Bangkok with a metal arrow sticking out of its face, Caters News reported.
It appeared that someone had shot the projectile from a harpoon gun, hitting the animal’s face just under its right eye, authorities said.
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Rescuers from the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) were alerted to the situation after pictures of the animal were posted on Facebook, Caters reported.
Rocket was captured and vets successfully removed the arrow, which they discovered had just missed its brain and spine.
It’s likely that Rocket came into contact with a local resident who saw the primate as a pest and decided to do something about it, experts said.
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“In this case the male had been shot in the face with an arrow," a WFFT spokesperson told Caters. "This may have been because someone wanted to seek vengeance for him damaging their property or it may have been by someone who wanted to use the animal as a target while out sport hunting."
Rocket will be kept for a few weeks at the WFFT Wildlife Rescue Centre until it has fully recovered and then will be released into the wild, authorities said.
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