Baboons steal underwear from rooftop luggage

Bosses at Knowsley Safari Park are warning motorists to beware of the baboons, after the animals learned how to open rooftop luggage and began stealing items such as underwear after helping themselves to the contents.

Published: 1:18PM BST 20 Jul 2009

The monkeys - who are known for tearing off the odd windscreen wiper or wing mirror - have been causing havoc at the park after learning how to crack open the rooftop luggage boxes of visitors passing through their jungle enclosure.

Dozens have been targeting cars carrying the boxes before pouncing and leaving the unsuspecting families to watch helplessly as the monkeys tear open their cases and scamper off with their clothes and underwear.

Now bosses at the Merseyside park have issued a warning to visitors not to travel through the infamous monkey jungle with luggage on the roof.

With the holiday season in full swing, visitors with cargo boxes on the roof are being urged to watch the 140 baboons at play from the safety of the car-friendly route, around the outside of the baboon enclosure.

Safari Park General Manager, David Ross, said, “When the first luggage box was broken into we didn’t really take an awful lot of notice - we just thought it was a one-off incident with a faulty box or lock.

“However, when the problem kept happening, it quickly became clear that the baboons had acquired an unfortunate new skill.

“Their technique involves the largest baboons jumping up and down on the box, flexing it until the lock bursts open, when the rest of the baboons pile in to see what they can find.

“Obviously, we’re well used to them helping themselves to the odd wing mirror or wiper blade, but this has taken things to a whole new level.

“Let’s face it, nobody wants to see a baboon running up a tree with their underwear.

“For this reason, we now issue a warning to all visitors with luggage boxes as a matter of course.

“Unfortunately though, we still get drivers who don’t think it will happen to them and they decide to take a chance. Although a few get through intact, others pay the price for ignoring our advice.

“That’s why we recently staged a demonstration to show the reality of the risks drivers face. The baboons were into the luggage box on our car within minutes and absolute mayhem ensued.

“We will now be able to show photographs of this incident to visitors with cargo boxes who may be thinking of playing 'Russian roulette’ in the monkey jungle.”

There are currently more than 140 baboons at Knowsley Safari Park and visitor surveys consistently show them to be the attraction’s most popular exhibit.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5870659/Baboons-steal-underwear-from-rooftop-luggage.html