For years I’ve had a sign over my desk that says in English and Spanish: “Caution! These monkeys bite and cause serious injuries!” My dad, who doesn’t like unexpected visitors, actually found it in a catalog of some kind, and put one on his fence. He found it more effective than, “Warning, Guard Dogs.” So I was intrigued to receive the book “A Stingray Bit My Nipple,” a compilation of travel anecdotes from the readers of Budget Travel magazine. In India, monkeys at temples are known for their viciousness.

A good friend of mine from Minneapolis, Trisha Farrell, was bitten by one last fall near Rishikesh. She took a picture of the monkey, then sat down at a table to write post cards. The monkey came to the table and took her camera. When she tried to take it back, he bit her face. She needed stitches. This fellow, also at a temple in India, was more fortunate, according to the book’s cutline. The photos were taken seconds apart and the monkey didn’t pursue the hapless tourist. The book’s stories and photos aren’t limited to unpleasant animal episodes, but it has a lot of them. I’m opening the floor to any and all animal related travel anecdotes. Or anything else that comes to mind.