Scottish monkey escape: Drone sighting of Kingussie Kong hiding among trees as experts close in

The escaped monkey was 300 metres method from the zoo, based on experts.

The Japanese macaque, nicknamed Kingussie Kong, was noticed sitting beneath some branches as experts mentioned the animal was in good well being.

The similar breed of monkey escaped from the identical zoo 16 years in the past however was recaptured inside one hour, based on reviews.

The Japanese animal fled Highland Wildlife Park in 2008. Three of the animals died there earlier that yr. One monkey was killed by a rival in February. A second needed to be put down and a 3rd drowned.

The monkey which escaped from a Scottish zoo might need been operating from a struggle throughout breeding season, a zookeeper mentioned.

Keith Gilchrist, of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, mentioned excessive tensions among primates may have brought on the animal to flee.

“It’s a very dynamic group of animals with quite a strong hierarchy. This time of year is breeding season so tensions run a little bit high and some times fights break out over breeding rights,” Mr Gilchrist advised the BBC.

“When that happens the animals’ adrenaline can some times over-ride everything and rather than get into a fight it seems this one has just gone for it and got past the enclosure perimeter fence.”

Japanese macaques, additionally referred to as Japanese snow macaques or just snow monkeys, are discovered on three of the 4 primary Japanese islands—Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu—and dwell additional north than some other macaque species, based on the New England primate conservancy.

They have human-like bare faces and expressive eyes. They have cheek pouches for meals storage. In maturity, their faces and bottoms turn out to be purple.

All macaques have opposable thumbs that they use to govern objects. They use all 4 limbs to get round (quadrupedal motion), but additionally stroll simply on their hind legs (bipedal) when holding one thing in each arms.

Tony Brown, Founder of Forces Manor advised the Independent: “I run a facility with accommodation for members of the British armed forces and veterans.

“At first we thought it was some cadet in camouflage on an ‘Escape and evasion’ training exercise.

“We asked if it wanted a hotel room and turned the monkey away when he refused to give us his address.”“At first, it walked passed our building outside the veteran’s lounge and my office.

“I was definitely startled – it is such an unusual sight.“It then went into a neighbours garden and I followed it.

“I saw someone from the Wildlife Trust also following the monkey- they told me it’s not dangerous but I should stay away.

“I’m ex army so I’m not startled but it was certainly an shocking sight. I thought I was hallucinating.

“I couldn’t keep up with it and it got away. It’s not like a tiny cat – probably the same height as a fairly sized dog.

“It looked at me with its pink face thinking ‘are you going to feed me or are you going to give me the boot?’

“At least it wasn’t the tiger that escaped.”

One couple who noticed the monkey in their again backyard on the weekend described the expertise as “so surreal”.

Carl Nagle, 49, and his associate Tiina Salzberg, 50, noticed the monkey from their patio doorways in Kincraig close to Kingussie on Sunday morning.

It nibbled on the nuts in their chook feeder and perched on their backyard fence for round quarter-hour earlier than operating away.

Ms Salzberg, a chief technique officer for a advertising and marketing consultancy firm, advised the PA information company: “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 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.”

Mr Nagle mentioned: “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.”

Japanese macaques, additionally referred to as Japanese snow macaques or just snow monkeys, are discovered on three of the 4 primary Japanese islands—Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu—and dwell additional north than some other macaque species, based on the New England primate conservancy.

They have human-like bare faces and expressive eyes. They have cheek pouches for meals storage. In maturity, their faces and bottoms turn out to be purple.

All macaques have opposable thumbs that they use to govern objects. They use all 4 limbs to get round (quadrupedal motion), but additionally stroll simply on their hind legs (bipedal) when holding one thing in each arms.