A monkey has escaped in South Carolina, roaming freely.
On Saturday, the search for a missing primate in Walterboro, South Carolina, continued for a second day. The Colleton County Sheriff's Office had shared a cautionary Facebook post the previous day, alerting locals that a monkey or ape was running free in their area, about 48 miles west of Charleston.
The exact type of primate wasn't disclosed, but a subsequent post from the sheriff's office labelled it as a "primate/ape." Their post also stated that the owner was making efforts to find and recapture the animal, enlisting additional help.
A viewer had submitted footage of the unidentified primate to CNN affiliate WCSC, displaying it perched on a roof. A picture provided by Walterboro resident Tiffany Edenfield appeared to show the primate in the fertile greenery, with a red face almost identical to some species of baboons and macaques.
The locals were told to stay away from the animal as it was believed to be agitated and anxious. Only sightings should be reported, according to the sheriff's office.
A report had been received by the sheriff's office that the primate had tried to go after a dog in a yard, as per local newscast WLTX.
The details behind its escape or presence in Walterboro, a city of over 5,000 inhabitants, are still unknown.
South Carolina law bars the buying or ownership of great apes such as chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans, as highlighted by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. However, the possession of other wild animals as pets is permissible in the state. Primates like monkeys and baboons however, seem to sit outside this law governing wildlife possession.
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The search for the primate involved the local community, as the sheriff's office urged residents to report any sightings of the animal affecting us all. The owner's efforts to recapture the agitated primate were ongoing, aiming to ensure the safety of our pets and community.
Source: edition.cnn.com
