Monkey Spotted Between Amagasaki and Nishinomiya Seems to Be Settling in Nishinomiya

A monkey that had been showing up repeatedly in Amagasaki since January seems to be settling into Nishinomiya.

Over the past two weeks, the monkey has been going back and forth: entering Nishinomiya from Amagasaki, returning to Amagasaki, then coming into Nishinomiya again.

February 15: Last spotted in Amagasaki

Around noon on Saturday, February 15, it was spotted in a place called Ogimachi in Amagasaki City.

Ogimachi is where Amagasaki Sports Forest and Water Park Amarago are located.

February 19: Finally appears in Nishinomiya

At around 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday, February 19, the monkey appeared on the riverbed in Higashi-Naruocho 1-chome, Nishinomiya City.

Location-wise, this is the Mukogawa riverbed just south of National Route 43.

I wonder if it climbs those prickly-looking pine trees.

Spotted near Mukogawa Station around 3:30 p.m. the same day

Around 3:30 p.m., it was spotted near 1-14 Komatsu Minamimachi, Nishinomiya City, about 500 meters in a straight line from the Mukogawa location mentioned earlier.（Location-wise, it is a little north of the Hanshin Railway elevated tracks by Hyogo Medical University）

Way off in the distance, you can see the Mukogawa embankment.

It seems likely that the monkey came over from the Mukogawa riverbed to this residential area.

February 20: Moves about 2 km west across Nishinomiya

At around 6:35 a.m. on Thursday, February 20, the monkey was spotted at 3-8 Kamikoshien.

When we checked Google Maps to see “where is that, where is that,” it turned out to be Harukaze Elementary School.

Harukaze Elementary School is currently being rebuilt toward completion in January 2021.

It may have been fortunate that the monkey was spotted at 6:30 in the morning, when elementary school students were not around.

Two and a half hours later, spotted near Imazu Station

At around 8:59 a.m. on the 20th（might as well just say 9:00）, the monkey was spotted at 3 Imazu Akebonocho.

This is the old national highway. If you go straight along this road, you will find Life, which was renovated last October, and Matsunoya, which opened last November, before reaching Hanshin Imazu Station.

The road one block over↓

Which of these roads did it show up on?

Map of monkey sightings since January 11

At Nishitsu, we have been compiling a Google Map showing when and where the monkey has appeared since January 11.

Sighting map↓

Until now, the monkey had mostly been appearing in Amagasaki, but it looks like sightings in Nishinomiya may increase from here on.

Here are some prevention tips from Hyogo Crime Prevention Net.

●If you encounter a monkey, do not provoke it, and leave the area.
●Follow garbage disposal rules, and do not put out kitchen waste or other garbage that could become food for monkeys at garbage stations from the night before the designated collection day.
●Be careful, as reaching out toward a monkey may result in being bitten or scratched.
【For municipal contact points regarding harmful wildlife, see here】
http://www.police.pref.hyogo.lg.jp/sodan/sodanlist/data/tyojyu_madoguchi.pdf

Finally

This monkey has come to Nishinomiya many times, but until now it had mostly stayed around the Mukogawa area.

This time, however, it has finally made it as far as Imazu, which is around the middle of Nishinomiya along the Hanshin Main Line. It would not be surprising if it showed up around Hanshin Nishinomiya, too.

Nishinomiya City has written that “although it will take time, it is best to continue monitoring the situation and allow the monkey to return naturally to the mountains.” Hopefully the monkey can move safely toward the Kabutoyama area.