Editorial photo #13823759 Social Issue
The 'Topeng Monyet'
A traditional street entertainment group performs Topeng Monyet, a monkey mask show, with a long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, on June 13, 2026. The handlers reportedly migrated from Cirebon, West Java, where they did not participate in a government-sponsored retraining and monkey-surrender program. The practice is noted for posing health risks and causing wildlife trauma. Efforts by the Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN) to include long-tailed macaques on Indonesia's protected species list have reportedly received little response from the local government in Medan. JAAN plans to advocate for stronger enforcement measures. (Photo by Sutanta Aditya/NurPhoto)
