Advertisement

Loose monkey found climbing outside London apartment building

By Ben Hooper
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter

May 11 (UPI) -- A small monkey caused a scene in London when it apparently escaped and was found climbing the scaffolding of an apartment building.

Rescuers from the Monkey World Ape Rescue Center in Dorset said they responded May 6 to the apartment building in the Tower Hamlets area of London and managed to capture a female Geoffroy's marmoset monkey that was reported climbing on the outside of the building.

Advertisement

Officials said the monkey, which has been dubbed Freya, is believed to have escaped from exotic animal dealers or a negligent pet owner.

Marmosets are native to Brazil, but are allowed as pets under British law.

A Monkey World spokesman said the center is lobbying to have the law changed.

"Many of the Marmosets that we rescue are under a year old and are too young to be removed from their parents," the spokesman told the London Evening Standard.

"Breeders and animal dealers do this so that infants they take away from their parents are totally dependent on their owners and they can breed more to sell," he said.

Latest Headlines