TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

East Tampa critter caper evolves into monkey hunt

Staff photo by PETER MASA

There is something in the trees above 3001 E. Elm St. in Tampa.

ADVERTISEMENT

By JOSÉ PATIÑO GIRONA | The Tampa Tribune
and JENNIFER LEIGH | News Channel 8

Published: November 11, 2009

Updated: 11/11/2009 09:26 pm

TAMPA - It's a monkey, not a raccoon, after all.

That's the latest word from East Tampa, where wildlife officials say they have confirmed the type of animal that's on the loose.

What's more, the monkey has left the tree where it had taken refuge earlier in the day, said Gary Morse of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Wildlife officials are now trying to track it down.

Morse said the monkey is a macaque, although he didn't know which species. The macaque typically is found from Africa to Japan.

"Don't corner it; don't feed it," Morse said. "Just give us a call.

"You could get bit. That could happen with any wild animal."

The animal caused quite a stir on Elm Street after Juan Washington first saw it when he was taking out his trash this morning. The startled creature made its way up a tree and started leaping from tree to tree until settling about 50 to 60 feet up in one.

Washington didn't get a good look at the critter but it was too big to be a squirrel. He yelled for a neighbor to call police.

Police, wildlife officials and Lowry Park Zoo animal experts converged on the area and a police helicopter flew by so officers could take a few photos.

Lowry Park Zoo veterinarian David Murphy looked over the police snapshots and said the animal appeared to be a raccoon.

Not so, wildlife officials said later in the day.

A permit is required in order to have a monkey, and Morse said no one has reported a missing monkey.

"We're not missing any," Lowry Park Zoo spokeswoman Rachel Nelson said. "All of ours are accounted for."

Anyone who spots the monkey should call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-3922.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT