A day after two missing monkeys from the Dallas Zoo were found, the zoo more than doubled its reward for information leading to those responsible.
The Dallas Zoo tweeted Wednesday that it raised the reward to $25,000 from $10,000 “for information that leads to the arrest and indictment of the person(s) responsible for these incidents.”
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The zoo shared on Tuesday that its two emperor tamarin monkeys that were missing were found by police. It said Bella and Finn returned to their nest sack at the zoo and, aside from slight weight loss, showed no signs of injury.
We are thrilled beyond belief to share that our two emperor tamarin monkeys have been found. DPD located the animals early this evening, and called our team to come secure and transport the tamarins back to the Zoo. They will be evaluated by our veterinarians this evening. pic.twitter.com/bDd49d3uDc
— Dallas Zoo (@DallasZoo) February 1, 2023
The Dallas Police Department identified a person of interest on Tuesday in the monkeys’ disappearance. The zoo suspected sabotage was at play rather than an escape because the habitat was “clearly intentionally compromised.”
Dallas Police are looking for the public’s help in identifying the pictured individual. Detectives are looking to speak with the man in regard to the two tamarin monkeys missing from the Dallas Zoo.
Anyone with information- call 214-671-4509. pic.twitter.com/VVvvHFAdgJ— Dallas Police Dept (@DallasPD) January 31, 2023
But what’s weirder is that the zoo has a history of animals going missing. Monday’s disappearance marked the fourth suspicious event at the zoo in January after a clouded leopard named Nova escaped her enclosure on Jan. 13. Nova’s enclosure was also intentionally cut, Dallas Police said. She was found later that day near her habitat.
In another incident, the enclosure of the zoo’s langur monkeys was cut, but none of the monkeys escaped their habitat. At the time, police claimed they were not sure the incidents were related, despite the similarities.
And another suspicious case involved a vulture discovered dead in its habitat with an unusual wound and injuries that indicated the death was not from natural causes, Dallas Zoo President and CEO Gregg Hudson said in a news conference last week.
The zoo has since expanded its security camera coverage, more than doubled its overnight security presence, increased its amount of overnight staff, and limited the abilities of some animals to go outside overnight in response to the incidents.
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Emperor tamarins are native to the southwest Amazon basin, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. They have long white whiskers that look like mustaches.
