World · Europe · 2 hrs ago
French police recover 11 monkeys stolen from a zoo; two remain missing
Thieves took 13 endangered monkeys from Exotic Park in Lescar, south-western France, during a night-time raid last week.
The animals were eight marmosets and five cotton-top tamarins, including young monkeys and entire family groups.
GIGN recovered 11 monkeys after investigators used zoo CCTV and digital location data to identify suspects; two monkeys are still missing.
One other monkey escaped during the attempted theft and was later found inside the zoo.
Two men were arrested, while a woman is being investigated over handling stolen goods; all three deny involvement.
The kidnappers had demanded a ransom and threatened to sell the monkeys on the black market, raising concern because the species are critically endangered.
Authorities are still trying to find the two missing monkeys, and the zoo says it has alarms and cameras and is helping with the search.
Police in France recovered 11 monkeys stolen from Exotic Park, while two remain missing.
The stolen animals were eight marmosets and five cotton-top tamarins, according to the report.
The monkeys were taken in a night-time raid at the zoo in Lescar, south-western France.
The local prosecutor’s office said the animals were being offered for sale online and the zoo owner had received a ransom demand.
Two men were arrested and remain in custody, while a woman is being investigated for handling stolen goods.
- Who
- Police and the GIGN recovered 11 monkeys. Two men were arrested, and a woman is being investigated.
- What
- Eight marmosets and five cotton-top tamarins were stolen; 11 were recovered and two remain missing.
- When
- The monkeys were taken last week. The report was published on 3 November 2026.
- Where
- Exotic Park in Lescar, south-western France.
- Why
- The zoo owner received a ransom demand, and the monkeys were reportedly being offered for sale.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The monkeys were taken in a night-time raid at Exotic Park.
Social media monitoring revealed that the primates were being offered for sale, and the zoo owner received a ransom demand.
Police searched suspects’ homes and found 11 primates, according to the report.
Exotic Park issued a statement saying almost all the monkeys had been recovered.
- Animals taken
- Eight marmosets and five cotton-top tamarins
- Recovered
- 11 monkeys
- Still missing
- Two monkeys
- Zoo
- Exotic Park, Lescar, south-western France
- Arrests
- Two men arrested and in custody; a woman under investigation and released
What people are saying
Monitoring of social media revealed that the primates were already being offered for sale, which confirmed the need to act very quickly, whilst the owner had received a ransom demand in exchange for their return.
entire families, including young ones
Almost all of the monkeys have been recovered by the gendarmerie (we are doing everything possible to ensure the remaining ones are returned very, very soon).