Wildlife warning over ‘Russian roulette in monkey jungle’
Visitors to a wildlife park have been urged not to “play Russian roulette in the monkey jungle” following the release of shocking footage of baboons smashing up a car, ripping its roof box open and running off with bras, dresses and other clothing.
In a statement on its website, Knowsley Safari Park, near Liverpool, northern England, said attacks on motorists had become so frequent that the apes had been issued with an ASBO – an anti-social baboon order.
Cars with roof boxes have been banned from the baboon section of the park since the apes worked out how to get them open and steal the contents inside.
Although the footage was filmed to demonstrate the dangers to visitors, David Ross, the manager of the park, said several cars had been genuinely attacked.
Initially, staff blamed the incidents on faulty locks – but then it became apparent that the baboons had worked out a strategy to open the boxes.
“The largest baboons jump up and down on the box, flexing it until the lock bursts open when the rest of the baboons pile in,” said Ross.
“We can now show photos to visitors with cargo boxes who may be thinking of playing Russian roulette in the monkey jungle.”