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Article Archive > Baboon spotted running in Jackson Baboon spotted running in Jackson JACKSON - An elusive baboon was spotted in a full run early this afternoon, headed south from the area the primate was spotted earlier on Friday, police said. Police received word around 12:20 p.m. Friday that a baboon was spotted on Oakwood Drive in a "full run towards the east," according to police spokesman Capt. David Newman. "It's moving quickly and we are trying to keep up with the animal at this point," Newman said. Police received word of third and fourth sightings of a baboon in the township Friday morning, adding to the pair of sightings here on Thursday afternoon, and officials are now keeping a watchful eye out for the creature. A resident reported seeing a baboon in the 600 block of Winterberry Boulevard around 10:12 a.m., touching off a second-day hunt for the elusive primate by police and wildlife officials from Six Flags Great Adventure. "We are working with Great Adventure and officers will be responding to every report we receive from someone seeing the animal," said. A second call to police came in at 10:50 a.m. reporting the animal was seen in the backyard of a residence in the 500 block of Buttonwood Drive, around the corner from the earlier sighting, Newman explained. Police got the first call about the baboon, saying it was sitting on the edge of the wood line on the east side of Interstate 195 near Exit 16 at 2:10 p.m. on Thursday, Newman said. A second call came into police about 20 minutes later from an Anderson Road resident who reported that a baboon was sitting on her back porch, he added. Police were unable to locate the baboon, but because the sightings were in proximity to Monkey Jungle at Six Flags Great Adventure, the park officials were contacted. The park has a total of 150 baboons, said Great Adventure spokeswoman Kristin Siebeneicher. Siebeneicher said the park sent out a response team to search for the baboon at about 2:30 p.m., but couldn't find the animal. She said a veterinarian, the safari manager and security went to look for the baboon. "They were out there looking for several hours trying to verify the authenticity of the calls' she said. "They were really looking for any clues like paw prints or tracks. But they didn't find any of the signs a baboon had been around.' She said the search continued in the areas even after police left. She said the search was called off later in the day. Siebeneicher said the fences around the Monkey Jungle were checked and there were no breaches. She said the park also added more hot wire to fence areas in response to the sighting today. Each baboon is vaccinated and micro-chipped, she said. However, the baboons are not counted each night because they sleep outside in Monkey Jungle, she said. She said there is no way to tell if one is missing. The baboons are not aggressive and tend to stay away from people, the spokeswoman s aid. Monmouth County SPCA Chief Buddy Amato said it is illegal to possess a baboon in New Jersey unless a person has an exotic animal license issued by the state Division of Fish Game and Wildlife. He said some people go out of state where licenses aren't required to purchase the animals. "They bring them home when the animal is young and then when it gets older, they release it into the wild,' he said. Police provided no description of the baboon or its direction of travel. Newman said any baboon sightings should be called in to police and residents should not approach the baboon. Siebeneicher said baboons are not typically aggressive and residents would not be in any danger. "Eventually they just want to return to their group,' she said. Anyone with information should call police at 732-928-1111. |