In the damp, shadowy undergrowth of the rainforest, a curious and painful discovery was made. Poor monkey Brutus Jr, a young and playful infant, had been exploring too close to a murky pool. Without warning, a slimy, dark big leech—nearly as long as his little finger—latched onto his tender thigh. The initial bite was a sharp, surprising pinch, but the true torment came as the leech began to secrete its anticoagulant saliva and swell with his blood.
Monkey Brutus Jr crying loudly, a sharp, startled shriek that turned into continuous, panicked wails. He could feel the unnatural, sucking creature attached to him but couldn’t reach it to pull it off. He hopped and stumbled, trying to flee the sensation, his cries growing more frantic and pathetic. He looked down at the throbbing, black intruder getting fatter on his leg and wailed in confusion and pain, his little body trembling.
His mother, hearing his desperate cries, rushed over. Seeing the big leech, she knew not to simply yank it off, as that could leave its mouthparts embedded and cause infection. Instead, she did what primate instinct and learned behavior dictated. She found a rough piece of bark and used it to gently but firmly scratch near the leech’s head, breaking its suction. The engorged parasite released and fell to the forest floor.
But the ordeal wasn’t over. The bite wound continued to ooze blood due to the anticoagulant. Poor monkey Brutus Jr was still crying, now more from shock and the itchy, stinging pain. His mother held him close and meticulously groomed the area, licking it clean to prevent infection and provide comfort.
Back at the sanctuary clinic later that day (as Brutus Jr was part of a monitored troop), caregivers applied a vet-approved antiseptic to the bite. They gave him a soothing treat and lots of cuddles. His loud cries had finally subsided into soft, hiccupping sighs against his mother’s chest. The memory of the big leech that bit him would make him wary of stagnant pools, but for now, he was safe, comforted, and learning that even scary, painful things could be made better with care.
