With Nova, the clouded leopard, reunited with her sister at the Dallas Zoo, police are also now investigating a second tampered enclosure on the grounds — home to a small troop of spectacled langur monkeys.
On Saturday, zoo staff uncovered a cut on the langurs’ exhibit, similar in appearance to that of the clouded leopards’ habitat. Authorities believe the tampering was likely intentional, but it’s unclear whether these incidents are related.
While Dallas police said none of the monkeys left the enclosure or appeared injured, their altered habitat raised questions about what langurs are and if they pose a danger to people.
Langurs are classified as an endangered, leaf-eating monkey species, according to the Endangered Primate Rescue Center. Spectacled langurs typically originate from the Malay Peninsula, in countries such as Myanmar and Thailand.
In addition, they are considered Old World monkeys, native to Africa and Asia, meaning they spend most of their time on the ground, as opposed to the trees, according to an entry from the Encyclopedia Britannica.
The Dallas Zoo is home to four spectacled, or dusky leaf, langurs, including one male and three females. They range from 21 to 27 years old, which makes them “very advanced in age for the species.”
Are they dangerous?
Spectacled langurs are not known for their aggression, a Dallas zoo spokesperson wrote in an email. Generally, they are considered friendly, according to various resources on wildlife; however, there have been some reports of the monkey biting and scratching people in India.
In an email interview with education website HowStuffWorks, San Diego zoo director Dean Gibson, said langurs “co-exist peacefully with people,” but can act territorial and employ aggression when needed.
When 4-year-old Nova went missing for a few hours Friday, officials issued a code-blue alert, since the 25-pound cat is deemed “non-dangerous.” Harrison Edell, the zoo’s executive vice president for animal care and conservation, said Nova did not pose a danger to humans.
If a spectacled langur was missing from its habitat, another zoo spokesperson said that it would also issue a code blue.
Both incidents remain under investigation, and police have filed reports of criminal mischief.
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