Elite French gendarmerie officers have rescued 11 endangered monkeys that were stolen from a zoo in southwestern France. Kidnappers had threatened to sell the animals on the black market if a ransom was not paid to Exotic Park in Lescar.
The theft, which involved eight marmosets and five cotton-top tamarins, occurred during a nighttime raid last week. The monkeys, known for their distinctive white crests, are considered critically endangered.
The GIGN, a specialized French gendarmerie unit, conducted the rescue operation. Prosecutors stated that monitoring of social media revealed the primates were being offered for sale, prompting swift action.
Authorities identified suspects using CCTV footage from the zoo and digital geolocation data. Two men have been arrested and remain in custody. A woman is under investigation for handling stolen goods but has been released. All three suspects deny involvement.
During searches of the suspects' homes, authorities discovered the 11 primates, along with €1,500 (£1,300) in cash and five illegally held hunting rifles.
Two of the stolen monkeys have not yet been recovered. Another monkey managed to escape during the kidnapping attempt and was found within the zoo's wallaby enclosure by staff.
Guillaume Darzacq, the zoo's director, reported that the alleged kidnappers forced entry shortly before 7:30 p.m. on a Monday. He explained that the stolen monkeys included "entire families, including young ones," and represented "a small fortune on the black market."
Exotic Park stated that the incident was not staged for publicity and denied rumors of staff involvement, emphasizing that security systems, including alarms and video surveillance, were instrumental in resolving the situation quickly. The zoo remains open to the public.