In the bright morning light of the troop’s forest home, tiny baby macaque Alba clung tightly to a branch, his little body trembling with confusion. For days, the other monkeys had noticed a strange tension between Alba and his mother, Anna. She seemed restless, stressed, and unusually rough with her baby. Every time Alba cried for comfort, Anna reacted with sudden, sharp movements that left the little one frightened and whimpering.
To anyone watching, it looked like Anna disliked her baby, but the truth inside the wild world is far more complicated. Monkey mothers face many pressures—dominance fights, threats from other females, and constant competition for food. Anna had recently been challenged by higher-ranking females, and the stress made her behavior unpredictable. Alba, still fragile and needy, became the closest target for her frustration.
That morning, Alba reached out for milk, his small hands shaking. Instead of gently lifting him, Anna pushed him aside, making him slip onto the ground. His cry echoed through the troop—sharp, heartbreaking, full of fear. Other monkeys looked over, unsure whether to interfere, because troop rules often prevent them from stepping into mother–baby conflicts.
Alba lay there for a moment, hurt but determined. Slowly he stood, crawling back to Anna’s side, hoping she would soften. For a brief second, she paused, touched his back, then turned away again, still overwhelmed by her own stress.
Even though her behavior seemed cruel, nature often shows moments that appear harsh but are rooted in survival instincts. Baby Alba’s cries continued, small but strong, as he followed his mother closely, hoping that one day her gentle side would return.
In the wild, love and struggle often live side by side—and little Alba was fighting with all his tiny heart to endure it.
