Monkey business sparks zoodunnit
Two monkeys taken from the Dallas Zoo were found yesterday in an abandoned home after going missing the day before from their enclosure, which had been cut.
But no arrests have been made, deepening the mystery at the zoo that has included other cut fences, the escape of a small leopard and the suspicious death of an endangered vulture.
Dallas police said they found the two emperor tamarin monkeys after getting a tip that they could be in an abandoned home in Lancaster, just south of the zoo.
The animals were located, safe, in a closet, and then returned to zoo for veterinary evaluation.
Police said they were working to determine whether or not the incidents over the last few weeks are related.
Meanwhile, in Louisiana, officials were investigating after 12 squirrel monkeys were taken from a zoo there on Sunday and considering whether there could be a connection. The zoo closed on January 13 after workers arriving that morning found that the clouded leopard, named Nova, was missing.
The leopard was found later that day near her habitat.
Police said a cutting tool was used to make the opening in her enclosure.
A similar gash also was found in
an enclosure for langur monkeys, though none got out or appeared harmed, police said.
On January 21, an endangered lappet-faced vulture named Pin was found dead by workers. Gregg Hudson, the zoo’s president and CEO, called the death “very suspicious” and said the vulture had “a wound”.
Hudson said the vulture enclosure
didn’t appear to be tampered with.
On Monday police said the two emperor tamarin monkeys — which have long whiskers that look like a moustache — were believed to have been taken after someone cut an opening in their enclosure.
The following day police released a photo and video of a man they said they wanted to talk to about the missing monkeys.
Lynn Cuny, founder and president of Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation in Kendalia, Texas, said she wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out the monkeys were taken to be sold.
Depending on the buyer, she said, a monkey like those could be sold for “several thousands” of dollars.