When push comes to shove

Monkey see, Monkey do him in: The dramatic moment primate launches attack on a stray dog

12 September 2012

By Phil Vinter

Daily Mail (UK)

Mouth wide, teeth gleaming, nose snarled this angry monkey gave new meaning to the term 'going ape' when it launched an attack on a unsuspecting stray dog.

The unusual battle was captured on camera by hobby photographer and designer Emanuele Siracusa at Phnom Pros temple in Cambodia, situated near the town of Kampong Cham.

It's not clear what sparked the monkey's anger, but Mr Siracusa said he saw the animal suddenly turn on the dog before lunging out with its right arm and swiping its legs viciously through the air.

Animal instinct: This is the moment a monkey's turns on a stray dog outside a temple in Cambodia. Hobby Photographer and designer Emanuele Siracusa was lucky enough to have his camera to hand

Amazingly moments later the savage simian appears to get bored and it turns its back on the dog and wanders off.

Mr Siracusa was lucky enough to have his camera to hand at the time and he managed to catch the quick fight sequence as it happened.

The 36-year-old said: 'I came out of the Phnom Pros temple and I saw the monkey go for the dog.

'Because I still had my camera on me, with a 24-105mm zoom lens attached, I could take some pictures without getting too close to the action.

'It also helped that I had the continuous shooting mode on and the ISO rating set to 1600, which allowed me to get enough shutter speed to freeze the movement.'

Lunging out: The snarling primate stretches out its long right arm in the direction of the startled dog

Monkey madness: Mouth wide, teeth on show the monkey squares up to the dog

It is very common to see monkeys roaming around rural areas of Cambodia.

Mr Siracusa, from Sicily, Italy, said: 'I think the pictures are so fascinating because I managed to catch the monkey's aggressiveness in its facial expressions and in its body.

'Both of the animals were very violent towards each other but the monkey definitely had the upper hand - he was very dominating.

'I find it funny how the monkey changes its mood from violent to almost bored, just before it walks away as if nothing has happened.'

Show's over: As quickly as it instigated the fight the monkey appears to get bored and turns away from the canine adversary

I'm done: The monkey finally gives up and wanders away to fight another day