The crab-eating macaque is highly adaptable. Photo waza.com |
Five monkeys have been found on board a container ship heading for Rotterdam port, primate charity Stichting Aap said on Wednesday.
The five
primates, said to be wild crab-eating macaques, were caught by the crew and
will be handed over to the foundation when the Maersk freighter arrives in the
Dutch port city on Wednesday.
The
primates are thought to have climbed aboard the ship in Malaysia. It is not yet
clear if they will be returned, news agency ANP reports.
‘In
practical terms, they could be sent back but it will be decided later whether
to do this or send them to a zoo,’ a spokeswoman for the foundation said. ‘They
will first be given a health check.’
Crate
The monkeys
were first running wild on the ship but were eventually all caught and put in a
crate. ‘It is not a big crate but you have to do the best with what you have,’
a spokesman for Maersk told ANP.
The
crab-eating macaque is regarded as one of the world's 100 most invasive alien
species because it is so adaptable and a generalist feeder. The males
can reach up to 55 cm in length.
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