Escaped Monkeys Wary Of Attempts At Recapture

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27375, 14 June 1954, Page 8

Escaped Monkeys Wary Of Attempts At Recapture

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, June 13.

Five escaped monkeys from the Auckland Zoo are living in pine trees on the boundary between the zoo and house properties in West View road, Grey Lynrf. They have been there since Wednesday, and just chatter at the efforts of the zoo director (Mr R. W. Roach) and his staff to catch them.

There were at first six of the monkeys, but one was caught this morning by Mrs D. M. Belsham, who lives at 18 West View road. She lured three into her back yard shed with food, and slammed the door. Two were smart enough to open a window and get out, but the third was put into a sack by Mrs Belsham and her son, and taken to Mr Roach. Mrs Belsham has tried several times to trap the monkeys. Once she got all six into the shed, but they outwitted her. The animals are bonnet monkeys,

so called because of the dark hair on their heads, forming a sort of skull cap. They are gentle, friendly vegetarians, who like nothing better than mischief.

“They will come down when they get hungry,” said Mr Roach. “Then we will be able to catdh «them easily enough. But the monkeys may not become hungry for a long time. Most of the residents of West View road are delighted to have them chattering in the trees, and put out scraps of food and even bananas and apples. In addition, tfie monkeys have stolen feijoas and tree tomatoes, and have even tried lemons, although only once. The monkeys seem to know their keepers. Children and women do not scare them: in fact the monkeys will come up and take food out of their hands. Eut they are wary of men, and shrewdly keep out of reach.