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'No More Sunbathing For Eva!' Zoo Re-Meshing Monkey Exhibit After Escape

By: KKTV
Updated: Mon 11:59 AM, Mar 04, 2013

A resident of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is back where she belongs and zookeepers are working to keep her there.

Eva, a 7-year-old howler monkey that came to the zoo about a month ago, managed to squeeze through the fence and mesh of her outdoor porch to escape on Saturday.

11 News talked with zoo officials on Monday morning. They tell us keepers are now re-meshing the outdoor area. Until that work is finished, Eva will be housed in an indoor exhibit.

"Eva's indoor enclosure has two-inch spacing between each bar," said Erica Meyer, Public Relations Manager for the zoo. "The bars she was able to squeeze through have three-inch spacing. Keepers are confident that she is well contained, so no more sunbathing for Eva!"

For half an hour after escaping, Eva hung out on the roof of the Monkey Pavilion and then in a tree.

Officials say there was never any real danger; Eva is very tame and usually shies away from people, but just in case, they cleared the area until she was caught.

One family we talked to says it was quite the scene on Saturday.

“At first we saw people standing up there with the nets and we thought, ‘What’s going on?’ We weren’t sure what was on the loose at first...it was a little concerning,” said mother Alex Laput.

“They were on the roof waiting for her to come down, they were really good. It was hard to see, but I saw a gentleman up there, I think they were trying to give it a cookie or cracker,” said father Alex Clemons.

Laput and Clemons were at the zoo with their daughter.

"You're a little concerned at first because you see all the nets, and then it dawns on you these folks are professionals and they know how to handle anything and they know the animals best,” said Clemons.

Eva weighs about 14 pounds and was brought to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo a month ago to become a companion for their other howler monkey.

Animal keepers report Eva is acting normally this morning. They say she did not receive any injuries as a result of Saturday's activities.


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