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A rare black-faced langur stunned residents in Bangladesh’s Jashore district after it appeared to seek medical treatment for an injured shoulder at a local pharmacy.
The unusual incident took place on Monday afternoon at Alpha Medical Store near the Trimohini intersection in Keshabpur town, where the injured primate drew a large crowd of curious onlookers.
According to locals, the langur had wandered into the area in search of food while carrying a visible shoulder injury. It first entered a nearby shop, where people offered it bread, but the animal showed little interest in eating.
Journalist M.A. Rahman, who was present at the scene, said the langur climbed onto his shoulder and repeatedly pointed to its wound with its hand, seemingly asking for help.
“I offered it a piece of bread and told it I would arrange treatment. It immediately climbed onto my shoulder and showed me the injured spot,” Rahman said.
He then took the langur to the nearby pharmacy, bought povidone-iodine antiseptic, and applied it to the wound. After receiving treatment, the animal appeared to feel better and eventually returned to the wild.
Rahman also expressed concern about the welfare of Keshabpur’s iconic black-faced langurs, saying the government-provided food allocation for the animals is insufficient.
“Because of the shortage of food, they often roam into populated areas in search of something to eat and end up getting injured. Increasing the food supply would help protect this unique population of black-faced langurs,” he said.
Local residents praised the compassionate response of those who helped treat the injured animal, calling the incident a touching reminder of the bond between humans and wildlife.