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[carrie <brooklynite282 AT gmail.com>]

Tupelo chimp [sic] on the run - again
http://www.djournal.com/pages/story.asp?ID=248848&pub=1&div=News

8/14/2007 5:43:32 AM
Daily Journal

Oliver's MySpace page:
myspace.com/tupelomonkey

By Emily Le Coz
Daily Journal

TUPELO - Next time the zoo manager will put titanium locks on Oliver's cage.

That is, if there is a next time.

Oliver, the white-faced capuchin whose flight to freedom made international
headlines a couple of weeks ago, escaped again Monday from the Tupelo
Buffalo Park and Zoo.

Park manager Kirk Nemecheck and other employees noticed the monkey cage open
and the lock on the ground about 8:30 a.m.

They spotted Oliver and another capuchin named Baby wandering nearby.
Workers easily nabbed Baby, but Oliver fled the park and headed for the
Tupelo Country Club, Nemecheck said.

The 9-year-old primate attracted worldwide attention when, on July 31, he
opened his lock, fled the zoo and eluded capture for six days. He was
spotted by a motorist not far from the park and caught Aug. 6 - exactly one
week before escaping yet again.

"This is the craziest thing I have ever seen," Nemecheck said. "I have heard
of chimps and orangutans that can pick locks. I've also heard a guy who
swears his raccoon can pick a lock, but I've never heard of a monkey who can
pick a lock."

Nemecheck said he bought $300 worth of new locks for the monkey cage on
Friday. He said it doesn't appear anybody had tampered with it.

"I'm getting titanium locks next time," he said. "I'm tired of chasing a
monkey."

Actually, it's Oliver's third escape. About six years ago he fled the home
of Buffalo Park owner Dan Franklin and roamed the Tupelo Country Club
grounds for two weeks before being capture.

Anyone spotting Oliver is asked to call the park at 844-8709, extension 0.
After 5 p.m., call 401-3849.

Contact Daily Journal city reporter Emily Le Coz at 678-1588 or
emily.lecoz AT djournal.com.