A damaged enclosure, a vehicle recorded near a service entrance and a mysterious online video have prompted an urgent search for one of the zoo’s most recognisable animals.
CENTRAL ALABAMA — Coco’s keepers knew something was wrong before they reached her enclosure.
The small metal cup she normally rattled against the bars at breakfast was lying untouched beneath a climbing platform. Pieces of apple from the previous evening remained scattered across the floor, and the hammock where Coco usually slept was empty.
Then a keeper noticed the door to the enclosure’s indoor section.
It was open.
A padlock had disappeared, part of the surrounding wire had been cut and muddy footprints led towards a service road behind the zoo. Coco, a white-faced capuchin monkey known for recognising visitors and stealing keepers’ pens, was nowhere to be found.
Within an hour, the zoo was closed and police were treating her disappearance as a suspected theft.
What Investigators Know
Authorities believe at least one person entered the zoo after closing time and approached Coco’s enclosure from an area not normally accessible to visitors.
Security footage reportedly shows a dark vehicle stopping near a service entrance shortly before midnight. Several minutes later, a person wearing a hooded jacket can be seen carrying what appears to be a small animal crate towards the primate section.
The same person returns carrying the crate with both hands.
The recording does not clearly show Coco, but investigators say the timing corresponds with movement detected near her enclosure. No other animals were reported missing.
Police have collected possible fingerprints from the damaged gate and are reviewing cameras positioned throughout the zoo. Recordings from nearby homes, petrol stations and road junctions have also been requested.
No arrests have been announced.
The Monkey Visitors Came to See
Coco had lived at the zoo for several years and had become one of its most popular animals.
Visitors knew her for her curiosity and habit of studying anything placed near the enclosure. She could open simple containers, separate food by colour and retrieve objects when keepers asked for them.
During educational demonstrations, Coco was often given puzzle boxes containing pieces of fruit. She learned to slide panels, pull levers and move objects through narrow openings to reach the food inside.
If she solved a puzzle quickly, she would shake it afterwards as though checking whether another reward had been hidden inside.
Keepers said Coco recognised familiar voices and responded to her name. She was especially attentive when staff carried grapes, boiled egg or pieces of banana.
She also had a habit of reaching towards pens, keys and sunglasses left too close to the viewing barrier. Several signs around the enclosure warned visitors to secure loose belongings.
Photographs and videos of Coco regularly appeared on the zoo’s social-media pages. One recording of her washing a piece of fruit in her water bowl had been viewed hundreds of thousands of times.
That visibility means many people can recognise her, but it may also explain why somebody wanted to take her.
Why Coco Cannot Be Treated Like a Pet
Capuchin monkeys are intelligent and adaptable, but they are not domesticated animals.
They require specialised diets, secure climbing spaces, regular veterinary care and constant mental stimulation. They can also become frightened or aggressive when removed from familiar surroundings.
Coco had a carefully managed routine at the zoo. She knew the sounds of the building, the movements of her keepers and the other monkeys housed nearby. Being placed inside a transport crate and taken to an unfamiliar property could cause severe stress.
Zoo veterinarians are particularly concerned that whoever has Coco may attempt to feed her an unsuitable diet or handle her as though she were a small household pet.
Food containing excessive sugar, salt or fat can cause health problems in primates. Sudden temperature changes, poor ventilation and confinement inside a small cage can also become dangerous.
Coco is strong for her size and has sharp teeth. Although she was comfortable around trained keepers, officials warned that she could bite if cornered, restrained or approached by unfamiliar people.
The zoo has asked anyone who sees her not to attempt a rescue independently.
The Search Spreads Across Alabama
Police began by examining properties and roads surrounding the zoo.
Officers contacted residents near the service entrance and asked whether they had noticed unfamiliar vehicles, barking dogs or unusual activity during the night. One resident reported hearing a vehicle accelerate along the road shortly after midnight.
A doorbell camera recorded headlights moving away from the zoo several minutes later. Investigators are attempting to identify the vehicle, although its registration plate cannot be seen clearly.
Veterinary clinics, animal shelters, wildlife rehabilitators and exotic-animal facilities across Alabama have received Coco’s description.
Authorities are also monitoring online marketplaces and private groups where exotic animals are advertised. Investigators believe anyone attempting to sell a capuchin monkey would eventually attract attention because private ownership is regulated in many areas and legitimate buyers normally request extensive documentation.
Police have asked the public to report:
Recently purchased monkey food or primate equipment
New cages or climbing structures installed on private property
Unusual noises coming from garages, sheds or vacant buildings
Photographs or videos showing a capuchin monkey
Messages offering an exotic animal for sale
Vehicles seen near the zoo after closing time
Officials stressed that people can provide useful information without knowing who committed the theft.
A Video Raises New Questions
The first significant lead appeared two days after Coco disappeared.
A short video posted online appeared to show a monkey sitting on top of a kitchen cabinet while somebody outside the frame attempted to lure it down with a banana.
The animal had pale facial markings similar to Coco’s.
The video was deleted shortly after viewers began asking where it had been recorded. Screenshots and copies continued circulating among local animal-welfare groups, eventually reaching investigators.
Zoo officials examined the recording but could not confirm that the animal was Coco. The image was blurred, and only part of the monkey’s body was visible.
Investigators are trying to determine when the footage was recorded and whether the account that uploaded it has any connection to Alabama.
The room shown in the video contained a transport crate, several towels and a metal bowl. Police have not said whether those details correspond with evidence from the zoo.
Several reported locations were investigated, but Coco was not found.
The video remains one of the strongest leads in the case.
The Monkeys Left Behind
Coco was not housed alone.
She shared a connected habitat with two other capuchins and spent much of her day climbing, grooming and resting near them. Keepers say the remaining monkeys have repeatedly searched the doorway leading to Coco’s section.
One has begun making frequent contact calls, particularly during feeding time.
Staff have maintained the troop’s normal schedule and added extra puzzles and enrichment to reduce stress. Coco’s hammock and feeding area remain in place.
Primates form complicated social relationships, and the sudden removal of one member can disrupt the entire group. Keepers are monitoring the remaining monkeys for changes in appetite, sleep and behaviour.
The zoo says Coco’s disappearance is therefore affecting more than one animal.
Security Under Review
Temporary cameras have been installed around the primate building, and overnight patrols have increased.
The zoo is also examining every animal enclosure to determine whether additional locks, alarms or barriers are required. Service entrances previously secured with single padlocks may be upgraded to electronic systems that record when gates are opened.
Officials acknowledged that the person responsible appeared familiar with the property’s layout.
The route from the service road to Coco’s enclosure avoids the zoo’s main pathways and passes through an area rarely used by visitors. Investigators are considering whether the thief had previously visited the zoo, studied publicly available maps or received information from somebody familiar with the grounds.
There is currently no evidence that a zoo employee was involved.
An Animal That Will Be Difficult to Conceal
A capuchin monkey may be physically small, but keeping one hidden is difficult.
Coco is active, vocal and capable of manipulating simple doors and latches. She requires a secure enclosure with enough space to climb and cannot safely be left unattended inside an ordinary room.
Neighbours may hear calls, movement or objects being dropped. Delivery workers or visitors could notice cages, unusual food purchases or damage caused by an animal attempting to escape.
Zoo officials hope those difficulties will eventually produce the information needed to locate her.
They have also appealed directly to whoever took Coco.
“If you have her, return her before she becomes sick or injured,” the zoo said. “You can leave her safely with a veterinary clinic, animal shelter or law-enforcement agency. What matters most is bringing Coco home alive.”
Coco Is Still Missing
Every reported sighting has been investigated, but none has established Coco’s location.
Her keepers continue arriving each morning to prepare the food she normally received alongside the other monkeys. Her portion is no longer placed inside the enclosure, but staff say they still find themselves cutting the same amount of fruit.
The metal cup Coco used to rattle at breakfast has been removed from the floor and placed beside the keeper entrance.
Police continue reviewing recordings, tracing online posts and investigating private properties connected to possible sightings. Authorities in neighbouring states have also received her photograph in case she was transported beyond Alabama.
The zoo has asked people to share verified information without spreading rumours that could send search teams in the wrong direction.
Coco’s enclosure has been repaired and its locks replaced.
The climbing ropes remain where she left them. Her hammock is still suspended near the indoor doorway. The other monkeys continue looking towards the gate whenever a keeper approaches.
Coco has not returned.
Until she does, the search will continue.
