CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Authorities outside of Charlotte are encouraging residents to stay alert after a capuchin monkey was spotted roaming the area.
According to Iredell County Animal Services, the mammal is thought to belong to Zootastic Park in Troutman, and staff are working closely with the zoo to help capture and return the animal.
The department did not say how the primate was able to escape the privately-owned facility and did not report any other animals – such as giraffes, tigers, lions or sloths – to be on the loose.
Troutman is located about 30 miles north of Charlotte, along the Interstate 77 corridor.
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A capuchin monkey on a branch inside the Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City. This weekend, Hugo Lopez-Gatell Ramirez, Mexico’s Undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion, confirmed the first imported case of smallpox in the country. The case is a 50-year-old man, a permanent resident of New York City, who was probably infected in the Netherlands and is being treated in Mexico City.
(Getty Images)
Recently, the monkey was spotted climbing high above the ground onto utility equipment, all while keeping to itself.
According to wildlife experts, capuchin monkeys typically weigh between 3 and 9 pounds and are considered to be skilled at using tools.
The species is native to Central and South America but is legal to own in more than a dozen states, including in North Carolina.
Officials said the public should not attempt to intervene with the animal if sighted.
“Do NOT attempt to capture, chase, or interact with the monkey,” county staff warned, advising residents to call animal services at 704-878-5335 if they spot the animal.
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Nearly a year ago, 43 monkeys escaped from a South Carolina research facility after authorities said staff failed to properly secure a door to their enclosure.
At the time, police outside of Charleston encouraged residents to keep their doors and windows closed and to call 911 if any of the primates were spotted.
All were captured after more than two months on the run, with the help of some snacks such as peanut butter and jelly.
No word if authorities in the Tar Heel State have resorted to any type of special foods in order to try to lure the animal back to its enclosure.
Rescuers set out across Tabasco, Mexico forests in search of howler monkeys that fell from trees due to a heatwave. Many of the monkeys are already dead.
