Police find baby monkey stolen from Symbio Wildlife Park

TWO men charged over the alleged theft of three monkeys from a wildlife park south of Sydney — but police are still on the hunt for one rare pygmy marmoset.

The missing baby pygmy marmoset that was taken from Symbio Wildlife Park in Helensburgh overnight has been found, pictured here with its mother two days ago. Picture: Stephen Cooper

TWO men have been charged over the alleged theft of three monkeys from a wildlife park south of Sydney yesterday — but police are still on the hunt for the two still missing rare pygmy marmoset monkeys.

Police today recovered a baby monkey after the three were taken from the Symbio Wildlife Park at Helensburgh.

The baby marmoset was allegedly found “in the possession of two males” after they were stopped by officers at Appin about 3pm.

The recovered monkey

The hunt for the three missing monkeys began on Saturday after Symbio Wildlife Park staff discovered they were missing.

A search of the area failed to find any sign of the trio — an adult male, a female juvenile and the four-week-old baby — but police alleged a call was placed to Crime Stoppers, leading them to arrest the men.

The stolen baby marmoset monkey at Symbio Wildlife Park at Helensburgh. Picture: Stephen Cooper

Two men, 23 and 26, were spoken to before police allegedly found the baby monkey in the car.

The pair, from Campbelltown and Woodbine, were both charged with dealing with proceeds of crime and were refused bail to face Campbelltown Local Court on Monday.

A NSW Police Force spokesman said the baby monkey was on its way back home, where it will be examined.

The four-week-old unnamed infant, the size of a thumb, was returned to the Helensburgh zoo late yesterday and appeared in a “reasonable” condition but had been “traumatised” by the ordeal, Mr Radnidge said.

“It will have to be observed first before being slowly reintroduced back to its mother,” he said. “The baby appears to be in reasonable health, not good health. It has been significantly traumatised by its experience, as has the mother and the entire social group.”

The baby was facing death within 48 hours without milk from its mother.

The remaining stolen animals are 10-year-old Gomez, the father of the baby monkey, and a juvenile female called Sophie, aged 9 months.

Following extensive inquiries by Wollongong Local Area Command, a second monkey was located in the Campbelltown area.

The two monkeys have been returned to the wildlife park for further examination and care.

The whereabouts of the remaining monkey is still unknown.

Anyone with further information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Originally published as Police find baby monkey stolen from Symbio Wildlife Park