The young rhesus macaque that escaped from the New Iberia Research Center on Saturday has been recaptured.
A New Iberia resident spotted the missing monkey Monday morning sitting along Admiral Doyle drive and called authorities.
Kurt Babineaux was heading to work when he says he saw the monkey sitting in the median of Admiral Doyle. Babineaux said when he stopped, the monkey seemed calm and walked towards a ditch. He snapped a photo and called the number that had been provided to the public.
Babineaux said when officials arrived they tranquilized the monkey.
The New Iberia Research Center (NIRC) confirmed that the monkey was captured this morning. The center says that the animal escaped the center after the cage he was housed in malfunctioned.
An NIRC spokesperson said a thorough veterinary exam confirmed the 12-pound rhesus macaque is in good health. The monkey will be kept under veterinary observation for a few days before he is returned to his social group.
The young primate is part of a breeding group and does not carry any transmissible disease.
