Fla. Monkey Eludes Capture for More Than 1 Year
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A monkey that has eluded capture in the Tampa Bay area for more than a year has again escaped from Florida wildlife officials.
Authorities were called to a neighborhood in St. Petersburg on Wednesday when the rhesus macaque monkey was spotted. It was twice hit with tranquilizer darts, but still got away by ducking behind a drug store and a church.
Wildlife rehabilitator Vernon Yates says the tranquilizers don't appear to affect the animal, though officials have increased the dosage each time they've used the drug on the monkey.
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Yates says the monkey is smart, even stopping to check traffic before crossing a busy street.
Officials didn't say how the monkey got loose. They say it isn't considered a threat to humans.