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[Carrie McLaren <carrie AT stayfreemagazine.org>]

Mainichi Daily News

January 24, 2001, Wednesday

HEADLINE: Monkey drives Osaka cops bananas

BODY:
Mainichi Shimbun

TONDABAYASHI, Osaka -- A wild Japanese monkey, which had been running amok
in the town of Minamiotomo since Sunday, was finally nabbed on Tuesday
after a chase involving some 30 local people, police said on Tuesday.

According to Tondabayashi Police Station, when the monkey was first seen on
Sunday, it was going about the town, eating dried persimmons.

However, at around 4:10 p.m. on Monday, the monkey attacked a
seven-year-old boy in the town at the entrance of his house. He was
slightly injured in his right hand and legs.

Officers of Tondabayashi Police Station immediately chased after the monkey
but could not catch the animal on that day.

At around 7 a.m. on Tuesday, about 30 people, including police and city
officials, were mobilized to catch the monkey. They successfully captured
it at around 8:40 a.m. after the animal entered a cage that had been baited
with bananas. The cage was left in the parking lot of the police station.

However, at around 11:15 a.m., the monkey escaped from the cage after
managing to open the door of the cage.

About 40 minutes later, police officers finally recaptured the monkey.

It is thought that the monkey came to the town in search of food.