A monkey, spotted roaming a quiet neighborhood of Minerva, Ohio, seems all set to start his new suburban life.
The primate, who has been identified as a howler monkey, according to Columbus's WSYX, was noticed poking around the side of a road Monday night. Soon, a photo of the monkey was posted to Twitter, confirming that a monkey was indeed on the loose.
JUST IN: Here's a pic of what's believed to be today's @minervamonkey sighting. https://t.co/mLoL9FkKAh @mikewsyx6 pic.twitter.com/ELE0KCM1uk— WSYX ABC 6 (@wsyx6) February 8, 2016
Shortly after the initial spotting, the monkey disappeared out of sight, but local news channels took it upon themselves to launch 'Monkey Watch 2016.'
NEW: @ColumbusPolice responding to sighting of @minervamonkey. Witness apparently took pics. Details at 12 on @wsyx6 pic.twitter.com/wRrgu9XHCw— Mike McCarthy (@mikewsyx6) February 8, 2016
Watch at Noon: Latest on #MonkeyWatch in Minerva Park & your Weekend Weather! https://t.co/Zpwhuq5HGd @mikewsyx6 pic.twitter.com/RODaSqRP92— WSYX ABC 6 (@wsyx6) February 5, 2016
In support of the strange sighting, someone even created a parody account of the wandering primate -- @minervamonkey.
@minervamonkey we have brewery tours and a Pizza and Beer tour. We could build out a celebrity tour with visits to fruit purveyors— Cbus Brew Adventures (@cbusbrewadv) February 8, 2016
Latest sighting of @minervamonkey. Beware... pic.twitter.com/gcuskrKckS— Miller (@drewmiller100) February 6, 2016
Wildlife officials told WSYX that howler monkeys can be "large, loud and ... aggressive. They [have] a howl so loud, it can sometimes be heard from miles away." Those who believe they may have spotted the monkey are urged to contact the Columbus Police Department right away. To cover all their monkeying bases, the Ohio Department of Agriculture has installed trail cameras in hopes of catching footage of the fugitive.
Howler monkeys are native rainforest animals according to the Smithsonian National Zoo, and the monkey is a bit out of its element in the chilly conditions of the Northeast.
Any updates to the monkey saga will be updated here accordingly. And any personal updates for the Minerva Monkey will, of course, be broadcast on his Twitter page.
Does anyone have any winter camouflage in monkey sizes? I'm having a hard time staying hidden in the snow.— Minerva Monkey (@minervamonkey) February 9, 2016