A capuchin monkey. Photo Shutterstock
Despite efforts to locate a small capuchin monkey in the bush of southern Vancouver Island, the little primate is still loose almost a week after it escaped from a private facility.
Sgt. Scott Norris of the Conservation Officer Service says the male capuchin went missing Saturday from its enclosure at Primate Estates in Cowichan Lake.
The Rainforest Alliance website says capuchin moneys are native to south and Central America, weigh less than five kilograms and have brown or black bodies with cream fur around the face, neck and shoulders.
They are only known to descend from treetops to find water, making the search even more challenging because Norris says the bush around Lake Cowichan is dense.
He says anyone spotting the monkey should not approach it because it could bite, although the risk to the public is considered low.
Sightings can be reported to the conservation service's 24-hour hotline, which handles all calls related to wildlife-human interactions where public safety may be at risk.
