This is a story about accidentally seeing monkey sex in Bali. Wildlife can be unpredictable. They jump into your photos for surprising photo bombs. This is one of those crazy examples, where monkeys having sex joined my photo of beautiful Ulu Watu .

Accidentally photographing monkey sex

We were enjoying the view from the cliffs of Ulu Watu in Bali. It was a beautiful moment until…a slight interruption.  Just then it occurred to me that I was surrounded by monkeys. And, they seized the moment.

I was photographing a monkey on the edge of the cliff. Then, another jumped on her from behind. After that, two other monkeys started having sex too. Then two more. Where am I?? Surprise – monkey sex. I suddenly had a monkey orgy or sorts in front of me.

These monkeys are in their natural habitat, so anything goes. For example, see the ones in this first photo.

“What, you’ve never seen monkeys having sex?”

Forget doggystyle – this is monkey style! Looks like they’re ready to make baby monkeys!

Monkey Sex has other meanings

Edit: Monkey sex is a slang term, as reported on Urban Dictionary.

“The communal act of rough …wild …passionate…primatial fornication. It’s usually accompanied with various vocal tones and frantic leg humping. Usually seen and heard from orangutans.”

A reader said it reminds her of this video from Gawker, with monkey sex on the hood of a car.

Mating behavior

These monkeys are macaques. They’re known to have dominant males that try to monopolize females. This is an example of that. Interestingly enough, “promiscuity benefits females and subordinate males.”

Also, “one way to escape monopolization by dominant males is to copulate in their absence.” This is called the “audience effect.” This info on monkeys having sex is from an article in the American Journal of Primatology. 

For more posts about monkeys in the wild, I’ve set up a link here. Learn about:

• More on these types of monkeys, most common monkeys in Asia,
• Adorable baby monkeys in Borneo
• When a monkey stole a camera and took selfies
• Monkeys with huge noses, the largest you’ve ever seen