WALTERBORO, S.C. — The search for a macaque named Bradley has a happy ending., who escaped Thursday from his South Carolina home.
Update 7:42 p.m. EDT May 27: Bradley, the 15-year-old primate who escaped from his South Carolina home on Thursday, was located and returned to his home on Monday, Colleton County Animal Services wrote in a Facebook post.
“The outpouring of concern and information from Colleton County residents has been overwhelming and we are thankful for the public’s support in helping to locate Bradley,” the organization wrote. “We so appreciate the community’s support for animal welfare.”
Bradley has lived in Walterboro for six years.
-- Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Original report: Bradley escaped from his Walterboro habitat, where he’s lived for the past six years, Colleton County Animal Services said in a statement. The owner initially believed he could catch the monkey himself but had no luck.
The viral nature of the primate’s escape — and sightings of him by members of the community — have made the task more difficult, authorities said.
“Professionals have been hired to help bring him home and our animal control team is assisting with attempts, as well, to return him to the safety of his habitat,” Laura Clark, animal services director, said.
Bradley is not considered to be aggressive or dangerous, despite one report of the macaque “attempting to attack a resident’s dog in a yard,” CNN reported.
One resident, Kordell Brabham, said he initially did not believe his grandmother when she said she’d seen a monkey in the yard.
“Nana, I think you need to go inside, it may be a little too hot out here for you,” Brabham said he told her.
He soon spotted Bradley for himself.
Authorities urged residents to keep their distance from the animal and, if they spot him, to call a temporary hotline set up specifically for Bradley sightings. The hotline can be reached at 843-898-6113.