What is happening at the Dallas Zoo? Now-recovered monkeys marked the latest in a string of strange incidents.
Dallas Zoo officials and police believe two rare monkeys were taken from their enclosure. It marks the latest in a string of strange events happening at the zoo in the last month. Here's what we know.
Two emperor tamarin monkeys missing from the Dallas Zoo were recovered Tuesday night away from the premises. Officials don’t think they got away by accident. It marks the latest in a string of strange, unprecedented incidents at the zoo throughout January.
It almost sounds like a Nancy Drew mystery: A spotted leopard’s escape, a separate monkey enclosure being tampered with, and a vulture’s “unusual” death all preceded the tamarins’ disappearance. An investigation is still unfolding.
The zoo announced Monday that the rare monkeys were gone from their enclosure and said it was “clear the habitat had been intentionally compromised.” Police said the habitat was cut into. A zoo spokesperson said the monkeys typically wouldn’t stray “far from home,” fueling the belief that they were taken.
Tuesday evening, police said the monkeys were recovered from an abandoned house about 15 miles from the zoo.
On social media, onlookers speculated about the odd chain of events that’s led “Dallas Zoo” to trend on Twitter throughout the month.
This story continues to develop, and information is limited as the Dallas police investigate. But here are the basics:
What’s the timeline of events at the Dallas Zoo?
First, on Jan. 13, a spotted leopard’s enclosure was “intentionally cut,” leading to the animal’s escape. The 4-year-old leopard, named Nova, was found hours later on the premises. The search became a national spectacle, involving infrared drones and the Dallas police’s SWAT team.
Nova was reunited with her sister, Luna, in the repaired enclosure. The zoo’s veterinary team said she was unharmed.
The next day, officials revealed a similar cut was found on the langur monkeys’ enclosure. But all of the langurs were accounted for.
Then, on Jan. 22, the zoo announced that an endangered vulture had died from “unusual” causes.
Pin, a 35-year-old lappet-faced vulture that had been at the zoo for 33 years, did not appear to die from natural causes, according to the zoo’s veterinary team. The team later said that after performing a necropsy — an animal autopsy — the bird was found with a “wound.”
Now — less than two weeks after Pin’s death — police and zoo officials say someone took the two tamarin monkeys.
Dallas police said Tuesday the monkeys were found in or near the closet of an abandoned home in the city of Lancaster. They were taken back to the zoo to be evaluated by veterinarians.
“We are thrilled beyond belief to share that our two emperor tamarin monkeys have been found,” zoo officials said in a statement.
Are all the events related?
According to the Dallas Morning News, police haven’t determined if the habitat vandalism and vulture death are related. The police have said they can’t release many details, citing the ongoing investigation.
What has the Dallas Zoo done for security?
Before January’s events started, the Dallas Zoo had more than 100 cameras installed to monitor people and animals, officials said.
According to the Dallas Morning News, since the incidents began, the zoo has increased camera coverage, and the Dallas Police Department has provided solar tower units. Overnight security and staff presence have also been doubled. In some cases, zoo animals’ ability to roam in the outdoor portions of their enclosures overnight has been limited.
“We’re going to continue to expand and implement whatever it takes for the safety and security [of] the animals, staff and the people who live near the zoo,” zoo president and CEO Gregg Hudson said.
What’s going on with the investigation?
The Dallas Police Department is leading the investigation. After the vulture’s death, the police also solicited assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The zoo announced a $10,000 reward for information on any of the cases that leads to an arrest and indictment.
On Tuesday morning, police said they wanted the public’s help identifying a man believed to have information regarding the monkeys’ disappearance. The department shared a photo of a man walking through the zoo in a blue hoodie and black pants and said detectives want to speak with him.
Has anything like this ever happened in Philadelphia?
Not to this extent. But animals have gotten out of their enclosures. In 2018, four peacocks escaped from the Philadelphia Zoo and took a stroll down a nearby highway.
» READ MORE: From 2018: 2 peacocks that escaped Philadelphia Zoo found, search for last continues
One was found dead — most likely hit by a vehicle. Two more were found unharmed and healthy, albeit a little hungry, within days. The fourth bird was later found unharmed by the city’s Animal Care and Control Team and returned to the zoo.