July 7 (UPI) — Officials in a district of Shanghai, China, are warning residents to keep a safe distance from a wild monkey spotted wandering areas of the city.
Multiple sightings of a loose monkey were reported this week in Jinshan district, with some witnesses capturing video of the primate, believed to be a macaque, walking across air conditioners and climbing into open windows of an apartment building Monday.
Cai Qingtao, who works at the Jinshan Center for Disease Control, reported the monkey attempted to open his office window on Sunday.
No local zoos have reported any monkeys missing, leading to speculation that the monkey is a wild macaque, a protected species in China. Officials said the animal’s protected status is complicating plans to capture and relocate it.
District officials appealed to the public not to attempt to approach or capture the monkey. Witnesses are being asked to report sightings to local police.