The Madera California Highway Patrol pulled a $350,000 Rolls Royce Ghost over last week for speeding. Needless to say, officers did a double take when they peered into the vehicle and spotted a baby spider monkey dressed in a onesie tightly clutching the driver of the vehicle.
The driver of the vehicle was determined to have been under the influence and had cannabis for sale. He is facing several charges including the possession of an exotic animal. Primates are illegal to own as pets in California.
The arresting officer took the primate home and care for it overnight. The next morning the officer brought the primate to the Madera County Animal Services, where staff nicknamed the monkey “Marcel” after Ross Geller’s pet monkey in “Friends.”
Later in the day, the baby primate was transported to the Oakland Zoo by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The female monkey is estimated to be about six-months of age and needed critical care at the Oakland Zoo where she is now under their care. She has a serious upper respiratory infection and is being treated with antibiotics. Her medica team is hoping she can make a full recovery.
According to the zoo, primate infants are frequently poached for the exotic pet trade with most not surviving their first year because of lack of specific care. The mothers of these infant primates are often killed to capture the infants and then smuggled into various ports for sale to the highest bidders.
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