Watch: Black macaque tries its hand at photography in Indonesia

An Indonesian black macaque tried its hand at photography was captured on video by a wildlife photographer and researcher.

The clip, which is now making rounds on the internet, was taken by photographer Mogens Trolle, 50, at Indonesia’s Tangkoko Nature Reserve, and featured the black macaque with a camera.

The viral video showed the animal moving the camera around and holding it in both hands as if he was preparing to take a picture.

According to a tweet by user and Journalist Yashar Ali, Trolle, who was taking pictures of animals at the reserve had gone for a break and came back to see the monkey playing with his camera, mimicking his actions.

The clip also showed the animal looking through the camera’s viewfinder as if to get his best shot, before making a swift exit.

“…Our primate cousins learn almost everything by mimicking,” Ali wrote while sharing the picture.

Take a look here:

This is amazing.@MogensTrolle was taking photos in Indonesia’s Tangkoko Nature Reserve when he got up to stretch his legs.

When he came back, he found this wild black crested macaque using his camera like a human being.

Our primate cousins learn almost everything by mimicking pic.twitter.com/eohrbEC73r

— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) April 4, 2021

While the clip online delighted many, others wondered whether the monkey had taken any good pictures. Take a look at some of the reactions here:

Wonderful – reinforces why we need to protect the habitat of our primate cousins.

— Tim (@LettersfromTim) April 4, 2021

I think he found an assistant.

— Democracy 4 All 😷💛 (@goodbye56789) April 4, 2021

He probably takes better pictures than I do

— Amanda (@H1pHopAnonymous) April 4, 2021

Once they realize they have the strength to over power us it’s over

— 𝐍𝐚𝐡, 𝐔 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐧 🇯🇲 (@718_Amazin) April 4, 2021

I wanna see that footage!

— Theresa Cleary (@eldredgemama2) April 4, 2021

So damn cute. When he’s done he just saunters away 😂

— Joe B. (@BobbyJoe1974) April 4, 2021

How freaking cute, sweet and awesome!!

— Shari Townsend (@sewsharit) April 4, 2021

Amazing. I wish he could tell his friends and family what he did.

— Oandlomom (@oandlomom) April 4, 2021

I’d like to see the pictures that he took.! 💜💜💜💜💜

— Cassandra L (@CLuehsenhop) April 4, 2021

Wonder if it got any good shots.

— LDRCHGO (@ScrappyDogWorks) April 4, 2021

We humans also learn behaviors through imitation n mimicking.

— veronica caminos (@caminosver) April 4, 2021

Last year, a Malaysian man had a similar experience when he found a series of photographs and videos that appear to have been taken by a monkey, after retrieving his lost phone from a jungle.