The University of Strasbourg said Friday that a break-in at its primate research center in Niederhausbergen led to the disappearance of 12 marmosets, a small monkey species weighing 300 to 500 grams. The animals pose no danger to the public, the university stressed.
Investigators found three full-body suits left at the site, suggesting intruders entered with preparation. Police suspect theft for resale, a source told AFP. Alongside the missing monkeys, three nesting boxes also disappeared. Two monkeys were recovered on site in good health.
The center, housed in a 19th-century estate, holds more than 800 monkeys of nine species used in biomedical and behavioral studies. Animal rights groups, including Pro Anima, have long campaigned for its closure.
Marmosets, native to South America, suffer severe stress outside their controlled habitat, which mimics Amazon rainforest conditions. The university warned their survival chances in the wild are minimal. A police complaint has been filed, customs alerted, and security reinforced.
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.