2 monkeys missing from Dallas Zoo believed to have been taken, police say

Two emperor tamarin monkeys missing from the Dallas Zoo were "intentionally taken," police said Monday, the latest in a series of incidents at the zoo involving missing or dead animals.

On Monday morning, zoo officials contacted Dallas police after their animal care team reported a monkey enclosure pen had been cut open and the two monkeys were missing.

"It was clear the habitat had been intentionally compromised," police said in a statement. "Emperor tamarin monkeys would likely stay close to home — the zoo searched near their habitat and across Zoo grounds, and did not locate them."

Dallas police did not immediately provide any details on who they believe may have taken the monkeys, but on Tuesday the department tweeted a photo of a man it said police were "looking to speak with" about the missing animals. 

The missing monkeys are just the latest bizarre incident involving the disappearance or deaths of animals at the Dallas Zoo. 

Last week, an investigation was launched into the "suspicious" death of a vulture named Pin that was found dead in its enclosure under "unusual circumstances," Dallas police said in a statement to CBS DFW. 

That investigation came a little over a week after a clouded leopard named Nova was intentionally let out of her habitat on Jan. 13. Nova escaped through a cut-out hole, forcing the zoo to close and prompting an hours-long search. The leopard was eventually found sleeping in a tree later that evening. 

Dallas police opened a criminal investigation into the incident, which is ongoing.

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