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Dallas Zoo mystery: Monkeys disappear in latest bizarre incident 

Members of the zoo’s care team discovered that the monkeys were apparently taken and their habitat had been “intentionally compromised"

Monkeys in a zoo
Monkeys in a zoo | Shutterstock

January 31, 2023 7:45pm

Updated: February 13, 2023 2:19pm

Two emperor tamarin monkeys mysteriously disappeared from the Dallas Zoo, in the latest bizarre incident that has happened this month, authorities said on Monday. 

Members of the zoo’s care team discovered that the monkeys were apparently taken and their habitat had been “intentionally compromised,” according to zoo spokeswoman, Kari Streiber. 

“Emperor tamarin monkeys would likely stay close to home,” Ms. Streiber said. “The zoo searched near their habitat and across zoo grounds, and did not locate them.”

A surveillance video captured an unidentified man who is thought to have taken the monkeys from the zoo. Police are looking for the pictured individual. 

The disappearance of the monkeys is the latest bizarre incident that has taken place in the Dallas Zoo over the last month. 

On January 13, a clouded leopard disappeared from its habitat for several hours, prompting a search for the large feline. The leopard was eventually found. However, there was a “suspicious” tear in the enclosure, which was not an error, according to the zoo’s president and chief executive, Gregg Hudson. 

Similar tears were found the following day in the fencing of the langur monkey’s habitat. However, all of the monkeys were still inside. 

About a week later, an endangered vulture died from “unnatural circumstances,” an incident that is being investigated as suspicious. The cause of death will be determined after a necropsy is performed. 

Police are investigating to determine whether all of the incidents are connected.