Elite gendarmerie officers have rescued critically endangered monkeys that were stolen from a French zoo last week. Kidnappers had threatened to sell the eight marmosets and five cotton-top tamarins on the black market if Exotic Park in Lescar, south-western France, did not pay a ransom.
The theft occurred during a night-time raid, despite the monkeys facing a high risk of extinction. The stolen animals were recovered by GIGN, the elite French gendarmerie unit specializing in counter-terror, hostage rescue, and surveillance operations.
Monitoring of social media revealed that the primates were already being offered for sale, prompting swift action. French authorities identified suspects using CCTV footage from the zoo and digital geolocation data. According to local reports, two men were arrested and remain in custody, while a woman is being investigated for handling stolen goods but has been released. All three suspects deny involvement.
During searches of the suspects' homes, authorities discovered 11 primates in stable health, €1,500 in cash, and five illegally held hunting rifles. However, two monkeys remain unaccounted for, and one had escaped during the alleged kidnapping attempt, later being found within the zoo's wallaby enclosure.
The zoo's director, Guillaume Darzacq, stated that the alleged kidnappers forced entry shortly before 7:30 p.m. last Monday. He noted that the stolen monkeys represented entire families, including young ones, and would have fetched "a small fortune on the black market." Some of the recovered monkeys had previously been rescued from abusive owners, while others were born at the zoo.
Exotic Park denied rumors that the incident was staged for publicity or that employees were involved, calling such accusations "scandalous." The park stated it has security measures in place, including alarms, video surveillance, and on-site staff, which aided in the rapid resolution of the situation. The zoo remains open.