Dangerous monkeys on the loose after man 'high on cannabis' damages zoo fence
Dangerous monkeys are on the loose after a man said to be high on cannabis damaged their electric fence.
Nine crested macaques escaped from a zoo in Děčín in Czechia on Monday, but whilst seven have been recaptured, two are still on the run, roaming free.
They were only freed after a man, reportedly said by police to be high on drugs, tried to shake their hands, and received an electric shock from the fence.
He reportedly damaged it in a fit of anger and in the process the monkeys, which can have a strong bite and weigh up to 10kg, fled.
Děčín Zoo was forced to shut following the incident but reopened yesterday - when six monkeys were still missing.
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Nine crested macaques were freed from a zoo earlier this week (Getty Images)Since then, more of the monkeys were caught, being lured into cages filled with food.
The traps were placed near the zoo as authorities hoped the monkeys would attempt to return home.
It caught the alpha male, a female and a baby and a smaller male monkey.
The zoo blamed an “uninvited visitor” for damaging the fence.
In statement issued on the zoo’s website this week, they said: “The entire troop of crested macaques escaped due to the fault of an uninvited visitor who damaged the electric fence at one of the enclosures yesterday evening.
The monkey's fence was damaged by a man said to be high on cannabis (Děčín Zoo/Facebook)“Some monkeys remained in the zoo area, but others are already moving around it.
“In case you spot monkeys, do not under any circumstances try to catch them yourself and inform us immediately.”
Two of the monkeys on the loose were spotted in the forest park on Pastýřská stěna but when approached they ran away.
The Times reported that the monkeys are said to be heading for a mountainous region on the border with Germany.
Here they would be even more difficult to catch given their intelligence and agility.
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Authorities used traps to catch seven of the nine monkeys - but two remain at large (Děčín Zoo/Facebook)Spokesperson of the zoo, Alena Houšková, told local media: "We really need peace for the monkeys to return, we believe that we will be able to catch the other three as well. Two macaques were sitting on cages when we approached them, but of course they ran away."
A 42-year-old man, who has not been named, was later said to have been responsible for damaging the monkey’s electric fence.
It was reported he had been trying to shake the monkey’s hands, whilst high, then received an electric shock.
In a fit of rage he allegedly broke the fence and later he was briefly detained by police.
In the evening after the incident, police found the suspect and arrested him, further testing led to the discovery of drugs in his system.
The on-the-run monkeys are a part of a critically endangered species.
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