Two monkeys emperor tamarin missing from Dallas Zoo are believed to have been taken (Picture: Getty Images)
Two monkeys are believed to have been stolen from the same zoo where cuts were found on fencing that allowed a leopard to escape.
Dallas Zoo on Monday morning alerted the city police department that its animal care team had found two of its emperor tamarin monkeys missing.
‘It was clear the habitat had been intentionally compromised,’ tweeted Dallas Zoo that evening.
The zoo went on to explain what led officials to believe the monkeys did not disappear on their own.
Emperor tamarin monkeys ‘likely stay close to home’ but were not found on the zoo grounds (Picture: Getty Images)
‘Emperor tamarin monkeys would likely stay close to home – the Zoo searched near their habitat and across Zoo grounds, and did not locate them,’ tweeted the zoo. ‘Based on the Dallas Police Department’s initial assessment, they have reason to believe the tamarins were taken.’
The zoo did not immediately share any further information and said the matter was under investigation by the police department.
It comes just over two weeks after a clouded leopard escaped its enclosure at the zoo, causing the facility to close to the public amid the search. The 20-pound leopard, named Nova, was found safe near her enclosure later that afternoon.
However, zoo personnel found what looked like small cuts on the fence of her enclosure.
A clouded leopard escaped earlier this month and cuts were found on its enclosure (Picture: AP)
‘It is our belief that this was an intentional act,’ said Dallas Police Sergeant Warren Mitchell.
That was not all that was found at the time.
‘Zoo personnel showed investigators a similar cut found at a habitat that enclosed a breed of monkey known as Langurs,’ the police department stated.
None of the four langur monkeys escaped their enclosure.
Dallas Zoo earlier on Monday informed patrons that it would be closed due to inclement weather. Shortly before announcing the missing emperor tamarin monkeys, the zoo said it would be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday as well due to icy conditions.
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The two monkeys are believed to have been stolen two weeks after Dallas Zoo reported intentional cuts in enclosures.
