Search in Highlands village for escaped monkey

Keepers are patrolling a village as the search continues for a monkey that has escaped from a wildlife park.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) is also in talks with a drone company as part of efforts to find the missing Japanese macaque.

The monkey found a way out of its enclosure at the Highland Wildlife Park near Kingussie on Sunday morning.

There were reports residents in nearby Kincraig had spotted the monkey roaming in their garden while enjoying nuts and bird feed.

People in the area are being urged to bring in any food that is stored outside to encourage the monkey to return to the park when it is hungry, and have been advised not to approach the animal.

Darren McGarry, head of living collections at RZSS, said: “A team of our charity’s expert keepers are patrolling the village today in order to locate and return the macaque that escaped yesterday.

“We are asking anyone who spots him to please call 07933 928377 or email comms@rzss.org.uk with information.

“Although we don’t expect the monkey to be a threat to the public or pet animals, he should not be approached.

“We are doing everything we can to locate the macaque and are in talks with a drone company to help in this process.

“Locals are being encouraged to bring in any food that is kept outside, such as food waste bins and bird feeders, to encourage the monkey to return to the park once he is hungry.”

The wildlife park houses a large group of Japanese macaques after successfully breeding the species.

The Japanese macaque, also known as the snow monkey, is the most northerly living non-human primate, according to the RZSS.

One couple saw the monkey in their back garden on Sunday, stating the experience was “so surreal” as they were left “elbowing each other for the best photo”.

Carl Nagle, 49, and his partner Tiina Salzberg, 50, saw the monkey from their patio doors in Kincraig on Sunday morning, where it could be seen nibbling on the nuts in their bird feeder and perching on their garden fence for around 15 minutes before running away.

Ms Salzberg, a chief strategy officer for a marketing consultancy company, told the PA news agency: “We were watching in awe as it’s so displaced to see a Japanese snow monkey in your garden in a village in the middle of nowhere.

It’s just the most surreal thing, I’ve seen snow monkeys in the wild but you don’t expect to see them in your back garden in the Highland

“It was absolutely wild, we were both elbowing each other trying to get the other one out of the way so we could get the best video and camera angles.

“It was incredible, I’m sure once in a lifetime.”

Ms Salzberg said it was “shocking but surreal” to see the monkey eating nuts from their bird feeder and climbing up on their fence.

“It was running back and forth and kept looking over its shoulder at us,” she said.

“He was super cute, I have to say.

“It didn’t seem too fazed by us being here watching it through the window, I’m sure we were talking loud enough for it to hear us.”

Mr Nagle, who runs a marketing consultancy business, said they saw the monkey disappear into some trees to the side of the property by the time the keepers from the Highland Wildlife Park arrived.

“It’s just the most surreal thing, I’ve seen snow monkeys in the wild but you don’t expect to see them in your back garden in the Highlands,” he told PA.

Ms Salzberg added how the couple are hoping for the monkey’s safe return to the wildlife park, saying: “It’s almost like it’s been on a bender for a few days, like a rager.

“We’re desperate for it to be found and both of us want the monkey to be safe.

“The monkey’s had an adventure for sure and it’s probably time to cut the adventure short.”