Knife-wielding monkey threatened people at restaurant

A possibly drunk capuchin monkey was captured by the Fire Department after trying to attack staff at a restaurant with a knife in the municipality of Teixeira, in the backlands of Paraiba, Brazil. The animal had invaded the kitchen, picking up the knife and climbed on to the roof of the establishment. Staff tried to capture the monkey, which raised the knife when they approached.





According to Verônica Silva da Costa, who works at the bar where the monkey was captured last week, the animal had been in the area for five days. "He arrived here on Sunday and was in some trees. Customers were playing with him and throwing food. On Friday I was cutting a steak in the kitchen when he took the fish knife off the table and ran. He then went onto the roof. My husband tried to catch it, but the monkey threatened my husband with the knife. It was crazy." she said.





The monkey also performed some domestic chores. The daughter of the restaurant owner, Maria das Graças de Albuquerque Fernandes, said he filled an empty water bottle and when he was thirsty, he opened it and drank. He also took a cloth and dried some dishes. One day took a squeegee and looked set to clean the floor. He also used a loofah to clean the water tank. This made her think that the monkey was domesticated. She also believes the monkey was drunk, although this was not confirmed.


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After being captured by the Fire Department, the animal was released in a nature reserve in the region on the same day, but returned to invade another house and tried to attack a child, near the site where he was released. The animal was captured again and taken to the headquarters of the 4th Military Fire Battalion in the city of Patos. The monkey will now undergo an evaluation. If it is determined that he lives like a wild animal, it will be released in the same region. But if there are indications that it was domesticated, it will be sent to the Center for Wild Animal Screening Centre in the city of Cabedelo.