Aug. 17 (UPI) — A zoo in Scotland is on the hunt for a Japanese macaque monkey that absconded from the facility and was spotted running loose in a nearby area.
The Highland Wildlife Park, near Kingussie, said the primate, named Luka, escaped late Sunday night or early Monday morning and was last seen in the nearby Balavil area of Newtonmore.
Search teams are using methods including a thermal drone to search for Luka.
“The macaque is not considered dangerous, but members of the public are asked not to approach him if spotted,” the zoo said on social media.
Another Japanese macaque, named Honshu, escaped from the zoo in January 2024 and was spotted several times in residential neighborhoods before being safely recaptured a few days later. Zookeepers suspected Honshu had been ousted from the zoo’s troop, and he was transferred to the Edinburgh Zoo.