Vervet Monkeys on the Loose in Missouri
Summary:
ST LOUIS, MO – Multiple monkeys are on the loose in St Louis, Missouri, sparking confusion and concern from the city’s animal control officials, who said they do not know where the primates came from. The monkeys have been running free since at least Thursday, when they were first spotted roaming the streets. Residents have been warned to avoid the exotic animals, as they could be “unpredictable or aggressive under stress”.
It is unclear how many monkeys are at large, but officials believe there is more than one, and initial reports suggested there were four. Despite search efforts, the primates had not been found as of Sunday evening, the city’s health department, which handles animal control.
“At this time, we do not know where these animals came from,” said Justen Hauser, the St Louis health department’s bureau chief of environmental health. Owning exotic animals like primates is prohibited in St Louis, he added, so officials are not aware of any homes where “illegal monkeys” may have been kept.
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