A village has been left bewildered after several sightings of what appears to be a monkey wandering around the streets.
Residents in Stroud, Gloucestershire, took to social media in confusion and concern after spotting the primate walking about.
Some wondered whether the monkey had escaped from its owner, while others questioned if it was a monkey at all.
Local resident Melody took to Facebook and posted in the Whiteshill & Ruscombe Community group: ‘Strange question, but is anyone looking for a lost monkey?!
‘Seen walking down across the fields from Whiteshill to the main road. My mother-in-law who also saw it and grew up in India thinks it’s a spectacled langur.’
Several people were quick to dismiss the claims, but Melody was not the only person to see the furry runaway.
Another resident also witnessed it ‘running north away from Stroud heading towards Painswick.’
Others have shown concern for the animal wandering around in ‘such freezing conditions’.
Lorraine Trowers couldn’t believe it and said: ‘Does this still happen…keeping monkeys as pets? I thought it was a 70’s thing.’
Wildlife expert and documentary filmmaker Tim Whittard said it was rare but not the first time this has happened.
He added: ‘A monkey was filmed running freely around an area of woodland near Canterbury, Kent in January of 2022, and around 15 years ago in the Forest of Dean several eye-witnesses saw a pair of monkeys which had escaped from a private collection.
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‘Many people may not realise that there are 85 species of monkey which can be legally purchased in Britain, without a license – as easily as a goldfish or hamster.’
Plans for a new Animal Welfare Bill will if passed make it much more difficult to legally own these animals as pets.
But currently, the RSPCA estimates that there may be as many as 5000 monkeys being kept as pets across the UK.
In an update posted online this afternoon the search for the monkey is now being run by National Exotics – a search and rescue service for escaped or abandoned exotic animals.
Natasha Mason said: ‘If you have got any information or possible new sightings please send me a message so I can pass the information onto the team.
‘I have been out for the past couple of days to search and locate the monkey but have unfortunately not found it.’
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