Monkey drugged with a banana had to be rescued by firefighters after getting stuck in tree

A monkey who was drugged using a banana had to be rescued when she became stuck in a tree. Firefighters were called to Willowbank Wildlife Reserve in New Zealand at about 11am on Monday to rescue the 9-year-old black-capped capuchin. Head keeper Shaun Horan said he suspected some late night monkey antics had driven the female monkey out of the enclosure.

"We believe she may have been pressured by the full troop of 12 other monkeys ... she managed to breach the moat. They [monkeys] can be quite intimidating when they are angry," Horan said. Keepers discovered her sitting on the neighbouring caged parrot enclosure at about 9am on Monday. "[She was] sitting there quite happily . . . just chilling out and enjoying the view."



Horan said there was "absolutely no threat to the public", but to be on the safe side part of the park was closed off during the rescue operation. A vet was called in to administer a mild sedative, which was planted in a piece of banana. "Because our monkeys are quite interactive with the staff, a staff member was able to give her a banana which had the drug in it," he said.

"Then we just had to play the waiting game until the sedative worked." Unfortunately, the curious monkey had inconveniently climbed a tree by the time the sedative took effect. Staff at Willowbank did not have a ladder long enough to retrieve her, but local firefighters came to the rescue. Fire Service spokesman Daryl Ball said four firefighters helped the monkey down using one of their ladders. The monkey was back in the confines of her enclosure by 11.30am, he said.