Two monkeys disappeared from the Dallas Zoo this morning and police believe they were stolen. It was "clear the habitat had been intentionally compromised," according to zoo spokesperson Kari Streiber, and police confirmed the emperor tamarin monkeys' habitat had been cut, according to The Dallas Morning News. This is the latest in a string of crimes connected to the zoo that have involved vandalized enclosures and missing animals.
From The Dallas Morning News:
On Jan. 13, a 4-year-old clouded leopard named Nova had a day of social media fame when the zoo announced she had escaped from her enclosure. After search involving infrared drones, a "code blue" and Dallas police's SWAT team, she was found on-site and unharmed.
The day after Nova escaped, officials revealed a similar cut was found on the langur monkeys' enclosure, but said all of the langurs were in their habitat and accounted for.
About a week after the habitat vandalisms, a 35-year-old endangered vulture was found dead, and zoo staff quickly deemed the cause "unusual." The bird, named Pin, was one of four lappet-faced vultures at the zoo. He had been at the Dallas Zoo for 33 years.
At first, officials only said that Pin's death did not appear to be from natural causes, but after the zoo's veterinary team conducted a necropsy — or an animal autopsy — they said the bird was found with a "wound."
The Dallas Zoo asks anyone with information on any of the recent incidents to call the Dallas Police Department's animal cruelty unit at 214-670-7694, and will offer a $10,000 reward if the call "leads to an arrest and indictment."
