Wild capuchin monkey, Charlie, on the loose in Ireland after escaping from sanctuary

A monkey that was rescued from a British lab more than 20 years ago is swinging through the Irish wilderness after escaping from a sanctuary — but don’t get too close, officials cautioned.

The Capuchin monkey, named Charlie, busted out of his island at the Monkey Sanctuary Ireland in Rathdrum, about 40 miles south of Dublin, earlier this month, The Irish Times reported.

Charlie’s owner, Willie Heffernan, told the paper that while he believes the South American monkey will be able to survive in the Irish woods where he escaped, he’s worried he could be hit by a car. 

If anyone comes across Charlie, however, Heffernan has warned that they best keep away.

“He won’t attack unless you try and pick him up,” he told The Irish Times. “He’ll bite you, he’ll nip you, he’s like a feral cat.

“He’s not a pet, he’s never been petted so he’s not used to that,” he continued. “I would put food in a pulley-bucket and I’ll wheel it overhead to the island, that’s the only contact [he has]. And cleaning out and if he needs any veterinary care.”

Heffernan said Charlie ran off over a fallen tree while staff at the sanctuary were working to relocate him and another monkey. The sanctuary is home to 25 monkeys, most of which were rescued from labs and are now free to swing through trees after a lifetime in cages, according to The Irish Times.

Though the climate in Ireland is vastly different than that native to Capuchins, they live comfortably in insulated enclosures complete with heat lamps during the winter months and even get to enjoy classical music playing over the radio.

“You couldn’t get any more wilderness” in the area where Charlies escaped, Heffernan said, adding that he’s likely to avoid areas that have been built up.

“The only unfortunate thing is he wouldn’t be aware of traffic and he looks exactly like a cat so he could easily be killed crossing the road,” he said. “And also it’s the hunting season and he likes sitting up on top of trees with no leaves so he’s a prime target.”