Emperor Tamarin. Photo courtesy of the Dallas Zoo.
Police were called to the Dallas Zoo this morning after staff discovered two emperor tamarin monkeys missing from their enclosure.
A statement from the zoo said “it was clear the habitat had been intentionally compromised.”
While the zoo said the monkeys would likely stay near their enclosure if they escaped, the Dallas Police said they believe the monkeys were “taken” after investigating.
The taken tamarins are the latest occurrence in a series of zoo disturbances so far this year.
On Jan. 13, the Zoo was closed for a “code blue” situation after a clouded leopard named Nova was missing from her enclosure. Police later determined Nova had escaped her enclosure from a man-made rip in the mesh of her enclosure.
Nova was discovered on Zoo property and safely returned to her enclosure later that day.
That “intentional” cut lead Dallas Police to launch an investigation into the tampering. During that investigation, police found another intentional tear in the mesh surrounding the langur monkey enclosure.
All langur monkeys were safe and accounted for at the time.
On Jan. 23 police were called out to the Zoo due to the “unusual” death of an endangered vulture.
Dallas Zoo President and CEO Gregg Hudson said the vulture had suffered from a wound, although details were not released.
DPD’s Animal Cruelty division was brought onto the case following the vulture death.
