Monkey spotted stealing nuts after escaping Highlands zoo | UK News

The Highland Wildlife Park in Kingussie confirmed in a statement on Facebook that one of its Japanese macaques had escaped from its enclosure.

Sunday, January 28, 2024, 5:27 p.m., UK

A monkey has escaped from a Highlands zoo and staff are urging the public not to approach it.

The Highland Wildlife Park in Kingussie confirmed on Facebook that one of its Japanese macaques had escaped from its enclosure on Sunday morning.

“Our charity has put together a team to work to secure the monkey safely and as quickly as possible,” said Darren McGarry, head of live collections at RZSS.

“If members of the public encounter the macaque they should contact [email protected] with further information and should not approach it.”

The monkey was spotted sitting on a garden fence and taking nuts from a bird feeder in the nearby village of Kincraig.

Carl Nagle, a local who saw the monkey, told Sky News: “I got up and went to the patio window and there was a young Japanese snow monkey, which we had seen many times in the wildlife park, sitting next to it. “My fence eats nuts, they fell from my bird feeders.

He added: “It wandered back and forth and ran around the garden for a bit before coming back to try another bird feeder.”

“He then made his way onto the roof of an outdoor sauna before disappearing into the trees just before zookeepers showed up and tried to catch him.”

Picture:
Japanese macaques are also called snow monkeys. File image: iStock

According to the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Japanese macaques, also known as snow monkeys, are the most northerly living non-human primates.

Its website states that there is “a large group” of 34 primates at the Highland Wildlife Park and that the company has had “great success” in breeding the species.