TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

2 Escaped Monkeys Caught While 13 Are Still On Lam

ADVERTISEMENT

By KEITH MORELLI

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 3, 2008

TAMPA - Two patas monkeys that escaped from a wildlife preserve have been captured.

A female and her young offspring wandered away from the group and into a trap Thursday, said Joseph Gallina, who works with a public relations firm hired by Safari Wild, the preserve from which the monkeys escaped.
Gallina said the mother and baby likely were taken to a veterinarian for observation.

"The monkeys are doing fine," he said.

While searchers work to catch the rest of the escaped troop, the flow of information about the monkey hunt has gone professional with the hiring of the Tampa public relations firm Fry Hammond Barr.

The search for the remaining 10 adult and three newborn patas monkeys - living off the land near the Green Swamp in northern Polk County - has generated a lot of media and public interest, Gallina said.

Part of the new effort is the establishment of a monkey sighting hot line, which was announced Thursday night.

"Already we've gotten some crank calls," he said.

Anyone with tips on the whereabouts of the escapees is asked to call (813) 470-9307.

The monkeys are not dangerous, and searchers have a good idea where they are. To keep them in one area, trackers are putting out food. Once the monkeys get used to eating in one spot, a trap will be set.

The troop is scattered, but all are within three miles of the preserve, on the lam along the southern edge of the 860-square-mile Green Swamp. One male patas has split from the group and headed into the swamp. The rest are on sod and cattle ranches that border it.

The troop was captured in Puerto Rico and was scheduled to be euthanized when an animal rescue group stepped in and placed it at Safari Wild preserve on April 17.

The monkeys were on an acre-size island surrounded by a moat 60 feet wide and about 8 feet deep. Two days after arriving, the primates surprised keepers by swimming across the moat and scaling a large fence.

Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760 or kmorelli@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT