An escaped baboon has been tranquilized at the San Antonio International Airport after it managed to escape its crate while being transported to a sanctuary.
The primate had just been flown in on an American Airlines flight from Chicago O’Hare, according to the San Antonio Express News.
It was being transported to the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary in Cotulla, Texas, when it broke free.
An escaped baboon (pictured) has been tranquilized at the San Antonio International Airport after it managed to escape its crate while being transported to a sanctuary
The primate (left) had just been flown in on an American Airlines flight from Chicago O’Hare. It was being transported to the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary in Cotulla, Texas, when it broke free
Photos on social media showed the monkey wandering around outside the cargo area near a motorized cart
Photos on social media showed the monkey wandering around outside the cargo area near a motorized cart.
The animal was able to evade authorities for nearly an hour, moving from the American Airlines facilities towards the United Airlines baggage area.
It was then cornered in the baggage handling area of Terminal B by officers from the San Antonio Police Department and animal care specialists from the San Antonio Zoo & Animal Care Services.
Eventually, wildlife experts were able to tranquilize the rogue money. It will now be transported to its new home.
Before the monkey was captured, American Airlines also released a statement that said officials from the zoo were onsite ‘to ensure his safety and wellbeing as he continues his journey to his new home at the primate sanctuary’.
No flights were affected by the animal’s escape and officials said passengers were never in any danger and neither was the monkey.
Before the monkey was captured, American Airlines also released a statement that said officials from the zoo were onsite ‘to ensure his safety and wellbeing as he continues his journey to his new home at the primate sanctuary’
This isn’t the first incident involving a baboon in San Antonio.
Last month, four baboons escaped from the Texas Biomedical Research Institute after they worked together to use a 55-gallon barrel to break free, according to Express News.
Officials said at the time that the monkeys rolled the barrel so that it was standing upright near a wall in their open-air enclosure and then used it to climb up and over the wall.
The barrel was put in the enclosure as an enrichment tool to help the baboons mimic foraging behavior. But it has since been removed.