They’d had enough: a hundred monkeys escaped from a Thai zoo for an unexpected reason (2 photos + 1 video)

In the Thai city of Lopburi, a hundred monkeys outsmarted security, broke through the fence of a municipal animal shelter, and escaped into city neighborhoods. City officials cite the animals' living conditions as the likely cause of the escape.





Mayor Chamroen Salachip announced an emergency operation to retrieve the animals. Some teams focused on capturing the monkeys, while others simultaneously repaired and reinforced the damaged section of the fence to prevent further escapes.

Regional officials, veterinarians, and representatives from various agencies gathered at the scene. Capturing the escapees proved challenging; one group of monkeys was lured back with food, while another required tranquilizers. A third group returned to the center on their own.



Mayor Salachip suggested that the mass escape could have been caused by hunger, heat, overcrowding in the enclosure, or simply a natural desire to flee because "they were fed up." He apologized to residents of the affected neighborhoods and promised to assess the damage and provide compensation to anyone who filed a claim.

Authorities are currently planning to build a more secure double fence and establish a special fund to improve the animals' living conditions and diet. Media reports indicate that Lopburi has a long and complicated history of coexistence with monkeys; the city is known for its annual "Monkey Banquet" tourist festival.

Following a series of aggressive attacks on people in 2024, authorities captured approximately 2,500 animals and placed them in large enclosures. It was from one of these large enclosures that the inhabitants escaped.