MELBOURNE, Fla. – A tiny spider monkey that was confiscated by customs agents at the Mexico-Texas border in June will soon be housed at the Brevard Zoo.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said a 23-year-old Texas man tried to smuggle the monkey into the United States by hiding the animal in the center console of his 2015 Ford F-150 pickup truck.
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“Finding this monkey is certainly unusual but not a first for our officers at Hidalgo,” said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Port of Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas. “Our officers normally discover prohibited agriculture products, merchandise, currency, weapons and narcotics, but on occasion they encounter people attempting to smuggle exotic animals as well.”
The Florida Institute of Technology’s School of Aviation will be providing the transportation for the Zoo’s new resident departing from the Melbourne Airport Thursday.
This spider monkey will be coming to the Brevard Zoo on Friday, and officials are hopeful the little guy will be able to fit in with the monkey troop at the zoo since he cannot go back into the wild.
The monkey is currently in quarantine at the Dallas Zoo.