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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf 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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
One or more vervet monkeys were seen in a neighborhood near O\u2019Fallon 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.<\/p>\n
Search complicated by fake images<\/b><\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe 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,\u201d said Hauser.<\/p>\n
Story gains international attention<\/b><\/p>\n
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\u2019s Late Show with Stephen Colbert.<\/p>\n
Online memes showing monkeys visiting iconic St. Louis locations have spread across social media platforms.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, they\u2019ve got good taste for one thing. No, it\u2019s fun, seeing them hit all the iconic places around St Louis,\u201d said Andy Karandzieff, owner of Crown Candy, when asked about memes showing monkeys at his business.<\/p>\n
Residents remain wary<\/b><\/p>\n
Rumors are spreading in the area where the monkey was spotted. \u201cThere are six of them,\u201d said Jaqueline Brown. And she worries about the safety of neighborhood children, \u201cThey will sneak up on these children and get them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Residents remain cautious as long as they believe one or more monkeys may be running around.<\/p>\n
\u201cHell no, I\u2019ll call the police,\u201d said J.C., a neighborhood resident, when asked if he would approach a monkey.<\/p>\n
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