Chinese New Year is a time of celebration, where it’s common to receive a variety of festive treats from friends, colleagues, and relatives. Some people even prepare home-cooked dishes to mark the occasion.
Now, imagine leaving your house to celebrate, only to return and find your kitchen floor covered in food scraps, overturned containers, and a mess of footprints.
It sounds like everyone’s worst nightmare. But for one resident in Singapore, this was a very real experience.
At first, you might assume that a burglar had broken in, or perhaps a mischievous cat had caused the chaos. But no, it was a troop of monkeys on the hunt for food.
30 Monkeys Broke into Punggol Homes on the Second Day of CNY
On the second day of CNY (30 January 2025), at least 30 monkeys were spotted roaming the Punggol East HDB estate, breaking into homes in search of food.
According to Shin Min Daily News, the monkeys left footprints all over floors, raided kitchens, and feasted on mandarin oranges, eggs, and honey.
For some residents, this was an unwelcome flashback. Two years ago, the same HDB estate experienced a surge of monkey sightings, with residents reporting that the animals were “fighting for territory” within the area.
The monkey problem had seemingly died down for over a year but had made its comeback now.
Bolder Monkeys Climb Balconies and Invade Homes
Besides rummaging through open areas, the more daring monkeys took things a step further, climbing along balconies and entering lower-floor units to steal food.
When a Shin Min Daily News reporter visited the estate on 31 January, they spoke to 55-year-old accountant Ms Huang, a resident of Block 657B.
She recalled that on the second day of CNY, a large group of monkeys gathered outside around 12pm, hanging around the underground parking lot and even overturning trash bins in their search for food.
The monkeys reportedly lingered until 4pm.
Resident’s Home Invaded by Monkeys
Another affected resident, Ms Chen, a 52-year-old housewife living on the second floor of Block 657A, had gone out for CNY visitations with her family.
When she returned home at 6pm, she was shocked to find garbage and orange peels scattered across the ground floor of her block.
She had heard information from neighbours that monkeys had been breaking into homes and stealing food, but she never expected her own unit to be one of the targets.
When she entered her home, her kitchen was in complete disarray, leaving her wanting to “laugh and cry” at the same time.
Speaking to Shin Min, she suspected the monkeys had climbed a tree outside her balcony, pushed through half-closed blinds, and made their way inside.
The aftermath was nothing short of a jungle crime scene.
She pointed out that the kitchen island and the sofa in the living room were covered with monkey footprints, and the floor was littered with tangerine peels and broken eggs.
Furthermore, the food in the cupboard was left in a mess, and even the honey on the cupboard had been knocked over and licked clean by the monkeys.
It Took Two Hours to Clean Up
Ms Chen and her family spent more than two hours cleaning the mess, throwing away all the food that had been touched by the monkeys.
Despite disinfecting the floor three times, she still felt uneasy.
Adding to the ordeal, the house smelled fishy, likely due to food being scattered and left out.
Since the incident, Ms Chen says she avoids monkeys at all costs, admitting that she used to take a detour when she saw them — but now, she won’t go anywhere near them.
Punggol: A Known Monkey Hotspot
Punggol has long been a monkey-infested area, with previous reports of the animals invading residential estates.
In September 2024, a Punggol resident at Northshore Drive had a run-in with 12 monkeys at a park connector, with one even attempting to steal her iced lemon tea.
Other residents of the newly completed Punggol Point Crown BTO also reported frequent monkey sightings around their estate.
One resident even recounted seeing around 50 monkeys blocking the park connector path near Coney Island Park while on a walk.
What to Do If You Encounter a Monkey
The National Parks Board (NParks) has advised residents in Punggol and other monkey-prone areas to:
- Stay calm and quiet, do not panic or make sudden movements
- Avoid eye contact, monkeys may see this as a challenge
- Slowly back away, instead of running, which may provoke them
- Keep plastic bags out of sight, monkeys associate them with food
Given that Punggol remains a prime target for monkey invasions, residents are encouraged to be vigilant and secure their homes — especially during festive seasons when food is abundant.
After all, no one wants to come home to a monkey house party.
If you watch at least 10 minutes of brain rot content daily, you must know this:
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