Monkey that fled from zoo recaptured after six months

Primate had escaped his troop to avoid confrontation after social dynamics changed

- Sherlyn Sim and Zaihan Mohamed Yusof

When the social dynamics within his troop changed, a 14-year-old male African monkey fled from the group at the Singapore Zoo in April to avoid confrontation.

The black-and-white colobus, named Mykel, used a connecting pole to cross the perimeter fence at the zoo's Primate Kingdom exhibit, a Mandai Wildlife Group spokesperson said on Nov 1.

While the organisation searched for Mykel after his escape, the primate was recaptured and returned to the zoo only on Nov 1 after he was spotted at Villa Verde Park in Choa Chu Kang, about 3km away, a day earlier.

Mykel's escape route has been fixed to prevent other animals from escaping, said the Mandai Wildlife Group spokesperson.

"We have also since stabilised the social grouping to ensure cohesion among the troop members, enhancing the overall well-being of the animals. Our animal care staff have also received additional training to recognise early signs of social changes and to intervene as necessary," the spokesperson added.