Newspaper Article 1998 – The monkeys have escaped

CLOSER TO THE ACTION: The monkeys have escaped . . . or at least that is what visitors to Wellington Zoo keep telling the staff. But out of their enclosure is where Medellin and Fiona are supposed to be. The breeding pair of cotton-top tamarins – two of the world’s smallest monkeys – were freed into the jungle trail walk on Boxing Day. Each is fitted with a transmitter as can be seen on the tamarin pictured, allowing zoo staff to track them. The monkeys can roam in the canopy of the trail. Zoo director Dawn Wilson said people were encouraged not to touch the monkeys but they could go closer to them than before. “People are really intrigued by it.”

ANTHONY PHELPS