Squirrel monkeys fight zoo intruders
Intruders who broke into the squirrel monkey enclosure at Wellington Zoo are lucky they didn’t take on any of the bigger monkeys and apes.
At least two of the zoo’s 12 squirrel monkeys were bruised and battered after someone used bolt-cutters to break into their enclosure after the zoo closed on Friday night.
But the would-be thieves are likely to be nursing a few scratches and bruises of their own after the monkeys, which weigh about 750 grams, fought back.
Zoo chief executive Karen Fifield said the would-be thief would have ‘‘some monkey bites, for sure’’, while team leader of primates Harmony Neale said: ‘‘They’re very feisty.
‘‘Their best weapon is their teeth. But they’re wriggly and can turn in on themselves. They’re very quick.’’
But their fighting qualities are nothing compared with some of the zoo’s big primates.
In 2015 collections development manager Simon Eyre gave some clue as to the most dangerous animals at the zoo.
In the event of a mass escape, the first animals to be shot would be the chimpanzees, ahead of the big cats such as lions and tigers.
One of the injured squirrel monkeys suffered a large haematoma on her elbow, while another had scratches likely from fighting back. The monkeys were timid as visitors walked past the enclosure on Saturday, preferring privacy among the trees and bush.
They will all have full health checks once things calm down over the next few days.
The zoo contacted the police immediately and would be investigating internally as well as boosting security patrols, Fifield said. Police have confirmed they will be checking security camera footage from within the zoo following Friday night’s break-in.
Its outer perimeter fence was electrified, Fifield said, but a security contractor had left a service gate open.
Once inside, the thief or thieves cut a padlock off the door to the two golden lion tamarins’ enclosure, then went through a zookeeper door into that of the neighbouring squirrel monkeys.
The area was not alarmed, and the internal door was left open. The wind had blown closed the outer door.
‘‘If their intention was to have it as a pet, it was a serious mistake.
‘‘Squirrel monkeys like to be with others, they don’t like to be with humans at all.
‘‘If they were scared, which they would’ve been, they would have screaming and biting.
‘‘It’s actually illegal to have these as pets so they’d be difficult to sell.’’