Video: Red ruffed lemur wanders Amsterdam streets after escape from Artis zoo
A red ruffed lemur was spotted wandering the streets of Amsterdam on Tuesday morning. The primate from Madascar escaped from Artis zoo early on Tuesday morning and was loose on the street for about 45 minutes before being recaptured at 7:00 a.m., a spokesperson for the zoo said to AD.
Several people called the police to report seeing the animal in a car park on Waterlooplein. The lemur was recaptured there by zoo employees and police officers and returned to its home.
The red ruffed lemur lives in an open habitat. Artis is baffled by the animal's break for freedom on Tuesday. Employees speculate that something must have scared the animal. "It is very strange that he went out" caretaker Dennis de Haan said to AD. According to him, lemurs are very social animals and rarely stray far from their group. "They often won't go further than the next tree, from where they can see the others."
According to De Haan, the lemur is doing well. "He's fine, we looked him over. Maybe he's a bit upset."
