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[Carrie McLaren <carrie AT stayfreemagazine.org>]

Driver oblivious as monkey hitches a ride
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=29&art_id=qw1078907401982B253&set_id=1
March 10 2004 at 10:30AM


Bangalore - An endangered monkey clung to the underside of a car on a 
70km journey and survived with little more than sooty limbs, an 
animal rights group said on Wednesday.

The three-year-old monkey, which belongs to the Slender Loris family 
found in southern India and Sri Lanka, latched on to the chassis 
after the driver had braked to avoid running it over near Shetgere 
village, west of Bangalore.

"The driver assumed that the animal had been run over and checked 
underneath the car but found nothing," said Alpana Bhartia, founder 
trustee of People for Animals.

"So he continued his journey to Bangalore on Saturday. The next day a 
huge crowd had gathered in front of his house as they had found a 
Loris amid the small plants in the car parking area," Bhartia told 
reporters.

The car owner informed Bhartia's group, which took the monkey to a 
wildlife centre and plans to release it into the jungle on Thursday.

"It is a miracle that she survived," Bhartia said. "She is absolutely 
fine except for the black soot on the fore and hind limbs and 
excessive stress."

The Slender Loris is considered endangered by the World Wildlife 
Fund. Its eyes are eaten by some Indians who believe they are 
aphrodisiacs.

The monkey survives on insects, shoots, leaves, fruits with hard skin 
and birds' eggs. - Sapa-AFP