Effingham County Sheriff's Office searching for two monkeys on the loose

Two monkeys have escaped from their home in north Effighman County and the sheriff's office is on the search for the loose animals.

The two patas monkeys, indigenous to West and East Africa, escaped on Sunday from an undisclosed location while investigations into the escape are underway. Officials said they have a general idea of where the monkeys are located, but as of Monday e, they have not yet been captured.

"We're still trying to capture them. We have got traps out, some baited cages that we're trying to coax them into, but that takes some time," said Mike McKinnon, the communications manager for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. "They're very skittish, and so they don't just go right into a cage immediately."

While the monkeys are believed to not be dangerous, McKinnon stressed the fact that they are wild animals and that the public should not approach them.

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If you see the monkeys or have any information about their whereabouts, residents are asked to contact the Effingham County Sheriff’s non-emergency line at 912-754-3449.

Laura Nwogu is the quality of life reporter for Savannah Morning News. Contact her at LNwogu@gannett.com. Twitter: @lauranwogu_

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Effingham Sheriff's Office searching for two patas monkeys