Dallas Zoo increases reward to $25,000 for information on monkey thefts, other bizarre incidents

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Dallas Zoo officials search for clouded leopard that escaped

The Dallas Zoo is seen from the air by KDFW cameras as officials look for a clouded leopard that is unaccounted for.

The Dallas Zoo increased the reward to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and indictment of the suspects responsible for stealing two emperor tamarin monkeys from their habitat on Monday. 

The monkeys, Bella and Finn, were located by police in the closet of an abandoned house early Tuesday evening in Lancaster, a Dallas suburb about 15 miles south of the zoo. 

"Both started eating and drinking almost immediately once the team completed health exams on [Tuesday]," the zoo said. 

"They will not return to the habitat for a while – because they were taken off-grounds, they will need to clear a quarantine period before they are reintroduced to their Zoo habitat."

An animal care team discovered that the primates were missing on Monday morning, with the zoo saying it was "clear the habitat had been intentionally compromised."

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The Dallas Police Department released a photo of a man who may have information about the theft, but no arrests had been made as of Wednesday afternoon. 

  (Dallas Police Department)

Police are also investigating two other animal habitats that were intentionally cut open in recent weeks, as well as the death of an endangered vulture under "unusual" circumstances. 

A clouded leopard named Nova escaped from her habitat on Jan. 13, setting off an hours-long search that ended when staff found her still on the grounds. 

The emperor tamarin monkeys were found in a closet of an abandoned home on Tuesday around 4:50 p.m., according to police.  (Dallas Police Department)

In this undated image provided by the Dallas Zoo, a clouded leopard named Nova rests on a tree limb in an enclosure. (Dallas Zoo via AP)

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The zoo said it will add additional security cameras and night patrols on the grounds amid the strange series of events. 

"We will continue to implement and expand our safety and security measures to whatever level necessary to keep our animals and staff safe," the Dallas Zoo said last week.