Monkeys loose in Waller, Grimes counties

WALLER COUNTY, Texas -- No, it’s not the rise of the planet of the apes, but a number of primates are loose near Waller and Grimes counties and it may be because of the fires.

Multiple capuchin monkeys have escaped a wildlife sanctuary near FM 1488 and have gone so far as to bite a game warden, said Brian Cox with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The monkeys could possibly be loose because of the wildfires that raged in Magnolia for several days.

A game warden saw one of the monkeys Sunday in a tree just north of Plantersville off FM 1774 and tried to lure it into a cage with some food, Cox said. The monkey, which appeared “playful and inquisitive”, decided to get feisty instead and jumped on her arm before biting her thumb.

The warden was treated at a Conroe hospital for a minor puncture wound. The ape got away.

As of Tuesday none of the monkeys had been found and an exact number of missing primates was also not known, Cox said.