French elite gendarmerie forces have successfully recovered endangered monkeys that were illegally taken from a zoo in France.
The perpetrators threatened to auction off the eight marmosets and five cotton-top tamarins on the illegal wildlife trade market unless Exotic Park in Lescar, located in south-western France, paid a ransom.FranceThe animals were seized during a nighttime attack, despite their vulnerable status and the imminent threat of extinction. These primates are easily identified by their distinctive white tufts of hair.
The rescue operation was carried out by GIGN, France’s specialized gendarmerie unit known for counter-terrorism, hostage recovery, and surveillance missions.
Authorities reported that social media monitoring showed the primates being advertised for sale, confirming the urgency of intervention as the zoo had already been contacted with a ransom request.
French investigators used video surveillance from the zoo and digital location tracking to identify the suspects, according to prosecutors.
Local news sources indicate that two men have been apprehended and are currently detained. A woman is under investigation for handling stolen animals but has been released. All three individuals deny any connection to the crime.
Local sources indicate that two men have been taken into custody, while a woman is under investigation for allegedly handling stolen items but has since been released. All three individuals deny any connection to the case.
During raids on the suspects’ residences, authorities found 11 primates in good condition, €1,500 in cash, and five hunting rifles that were being kept illegally.
Nevertheless, two of the monkeys have still not been located and are believed to be at large.
One monkey managed to flee during the suspected abduction attempt and was later discovered hiding in the zoo’s wallaby enclosure; staff successfully retrieved it.
Guillaume Darzacq, the zoo’s director, stated that the alleged perpetrators broke in just before 7:30 PM on Monday.
He told French outlet TF1He emphasized that the stolen primates were entire family groups, including juveniles—making them highly valuable on the illegal wildlife trade market.
Mr Darzacq also noted that some of the monkeys had previously been rescued from abusive private owners, while others were born within the zoo’s premises.
On Friday evening, Exotic Park issued a statement saying: ‘With the help of the gendarmerie, nearly all of the monkeys have been recovered (we are doing everything possible to bring back the last few very soon).
‘NO SECURITY AT THE PARK? That’s incorrect! There is security in place—and it was precisely this system that enabled a swift response, directly guiding authorities to the individuals responsible.’
The thieves employed a chisel to force open doors and a crowbar to shatter the anti-intrusion windows.
Nevertheless, the park is fitted with alarm systems, a comprehensive video surveillance setup, and has personnel on duty throughout the night.
THANK YOU to the investigators for their outstanding effort and commitment, THANK YOU to our zookeepers for their bravery and deep care for the animals, and most importantly, THANK YOU to everyone who shared our posts and stood by us in support.
Each year, zoos across France and globally are targeted by thefts, and in many cases, the animals remain missing forever… Let’s continue fighting for those still unaccounted for.
The zoo also refuted online rumors suggesting the incident was orchestrated for publicity or that staff members were involved.
Exotic Park stated: ‘We are encountering some truly disgraceful claims. It’s shocking to read such allegations.’
‘No employee is being considered as a suspect. For clarity, making false accusations is a serious legal offense, and being falsely accused while being a victim is incredibly hard to bear.’
‘Every year, zoos—both in France and worldwide—are targeted by thefts, and the animals are frequently never recovered.’
The zoo remains open.
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