News
African monkey caught in Choa Chu Kang 6 months after escaping Mandai zoo
It survived in the wild on its own.
November 01, 2024, 03:50 PM
A male eastern black-and-white colobus monkey was spotted at Villa Verde Park in Choa Chu Kang on Oct. 31.
The animal, which is known to Singapore Zoo keepers as Mykel, had escaped six months ago.
He was safely retrieved after being tranquilised at around 1:45pm on Nov. 1 and has been brought back to the Singapore Zoo.
What happened
A passerby, Susana Tinajero, was on her way back from the supermarket at around 11:45am when she noticed a crowd gathering near the trees at Stagmont Ring near Choa Chu Kang Link.
It was indeed an atypical morning, as a monkey that had broken free from the Singapore Zoo was spotted in the vicinity.
The police, as well as personnel from the Mandai Wildlife Group and National Parks Board (NParks), were on scene to recapture the monkey.
Gif courtesy of Susana Tinajero
Photo courtesy of Susana Tinajero
Photo courtesy of Susana Tinajero
Photo courtesy of Susana Tinajero
Monkey tranquilised
A crane was subsequently deployed to get closer to the primate.
Photo courtesy of Susana Tinajero
According to Tinajero, the monkey was tranquilised at around 1pm.
A net was prepared to break the monkey's fall.
It was subsequently taken away in a van.
Photo courtesy of Susana Tinajero
Photo courtesy of Susana Tinajero
Mandai confirms escape
Responding to Mothership's queries, a Mandai Wildlife Group spokesperson confirmed that its animal care and veterinary team were deployed to recapture Mykel, a 14-year-old black-and-white colobus monkey at Villa Verde Park on Oct. 31, 2024.
Mandai Wildlife Group was first alerted to the sighting by ACRES.
The combined effort to recapture monkey involved personnel from Mandai Wildlife Group and NParks.
They had "worked to retrieve him until sunset" on Thursday and efforts continued on Friday.
The spokesperson added: "Based on visual assessment, the monkey appears healthy and in good physical condition. We appreciate the community's support, as well as the assistance from the police and NParks."
Change in social dynamics
Search operations were initiated approximately six months ago when the monkey first escaped.
The reason the monkey was separated from its troop was attributed to the changing social dynamics within its troop.
"In this instance, rather than engaging in a confrontation, this individual opted to flee and managed to cross the exhibit’s perimeter fence, leveraging a connecting pole," the spokesperson added.
This has been rectified to prevent recurrence, it was added.
Reassuring that the social grouping within the troop members has stabilised, it was shared that the zoo's animal care staff have also received additional training to recognise early signs of change and to intervene when necessary.
"We are thoroughly reviewing our protocols to enhance the safety and security of our animals," the spokesperson said.
About eastern black-and-white colobus monkeys
Native to Africa, the eastern black-and-white colobus is a large monkey with long black fur and a u-shaped portion on the sides, and back of long, white fur.
These highly arboreal animals spend the majority of their time in the treetops and rarely descend to the ground.
It is classified as ‘Least Concerned’ in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
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Top photo courtesy of Pamela Lee & Susana Tinajero/em>
