Massachusetts

Monkey Still on the Loose at Zoo

Dizzy escaped while a staff member was caring and cleaning out his enclosure

A Springfield, Massachusetts, zoo remained closed on Wednesday as employees continued working to return an escaped monkey to its enclosure.

Dizzy, a Guenon monkey, escaped while a staff member was caring for and cleaning out the monkey's enclosure at the Forest Park Zoo on Tuesday. Officials say it could be days before they get him back in the enclosure after someone threw something at the monkey, scaring him off.

For safety reasons, the zoo was temporarily closed. It will remain closed until further notice.

Dizzy got out when a zoo staff member exited the enclosure to answer a guest's question and the monkey manually twisted the door knob and let himself out. The zoo said this has never happened before.

Zoo officials said they have located Dizzy inside the zoo and are working to return him to his enclosure. But the zoo has asked that the public and news media not approach the animal.

"Dizzy Update: we are so very close to returning Dizzy to his home! There have been some misunderstandings, please note that the zoo has been closed all day and will continue to remain closed until further notice. We are inside Forest Park, but the park is run by city officials and we are not in a position to close the park. However, we are asking for the continued cooperation of the media and the public and to please stay back, do not come to the park if you do not need to, and if you are here and happened to see Dizzy, do not approach. We thank you for your help." the zoo said on Facebook on Wednesday afternoon.

Dizzy weighs approximately 12 pounds and zoo staff said he poses no harm to the public.

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