Coconut Picking Monkey in Lampung, 1911

Photo: Jean Demmeni/Universiteit Leiden

Humans have tamed animals for a long time to do work for us. Domestication of animals has occurred thousands of years ago since humans still lived by hunting and gathering food.

One of the first animals domesticated by humans was the dog which was used to help with hunting. Strong hunting instincts and a keen sense of smell make dogs good hunting companions.

After humans started farming and settled down, dogs remained human's best friend by taking care of livestock. In farming communities, buffalo and cows are also used to plow the fields.

Horses and camels have also been domesticated since thousands of years ago as a means of transporting people and goods, as well as valuable tools of war.

The photo above shows a monkey in Lampung around 1911 that was used by humans to pick coconuts. The coast of Sumatra, which is full of coconut trees, has become a breeding ground for this coconut picking monkey.

The bearers of the monkeys go around with their monkeys every day to offer coconut picking services to coconut tree owners. In a day a monkey can pick up to 1,000 coconuts, while an adult human can only pick about 80 coconuts.

That's why employ a monkey is very profitable, moreover, it doesn't need to be paid, only to be fed. This practice is still ongoing today, each monkey can generate a profit of up to $10 per day to the owner. This practice is also found in other Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand.