ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) -The St. Louis Health Department announced it is no longer conducting searches for loose monkeys reported in the city four days ago. Justen Hauser, who is the environmental health bureau chief, said the department has shifted its focus from monkeys to monkey owners.
“If you have secured one of these animals, the Department of Health will waive any charges or fines pertaining to prohibited animals so that they can be safely and humanely turned in,” he said.
One or more vervet monkeys were seen in a neighborhood near O’Fallon Park last week, sparking widespread attention and internet memes. The health department said it has only one credible sighting of a single monkey, seen by a police officer on Friday.
Search complicated by fake images
Officials said they have been swamped with photos and videos of monkeys, some obviously made using artificial intelligence. The fake images have created confusion and made it impossible to verify there is more than one monkey.
“We are aware that alleged sightings and videos have been shared through social media. However, these posts cannot be verified and are not used to conduct enforcement actions,” said Hauser.
Story gains international attention
The missing monkey story has attracted international coverage, including reports by The New York Times, CBS News, and the BBC. The story was featured on CBS’s Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Online memes showing monkeys visiting iconic St. Louis locations have spread across social media platforms.
“Well, they’ve got good taste for one thing. No, it’s fun, seeing them hit all the iconic places around St Louis,” said Andy Karandzieff, owner of Crown Candy, when asked about memes showing monkeys at his business.
Residents remain wary
Rumors are spreading in the area where the monkey was spotted. “There are six of them,” said Jaqueline Brown. And she worries about the safety of neighborhood children, “They will sneak up on these children and get them.”
Residents remain cautious as long as they believe one or more monkeys may be running around.
“Hell no, I’ll call the police,” said J.C., a neighborhood resident, when asked if he would approach a monkey.
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