Symbio Wildlife Park Marmosets and Tamarins taken in raid

more on the theft of the eight animals here
Fears for eight rare monkeys stolen from enclosure - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Members of the public are being asked to help find eight endangered monkeys which were stolen from a wildlife park south of Sydney at the weekend.

Worried staff at the Symbio Wildlife Park at Helensburgh have set up a Facebook page appealing for the return of the breeding pair of cotton top tamarins, their two six month old babies, and four pygmy marmosets.

The staff say the animals are crucial to an international breeding program and need specialist care to survive.

It is believed there are only 300 cotton top tamarins left in the wild.

Detectives say thieves gained access to the monkey's enclosure at the park on Sunday night.

Inspector Brian Wyver of the Wollongong Local Area Command says staff discovered the monkeys missing when they arrived on Monday morning.

"They have returned and found the rear door of the enclosure had been forced," he said.

The owner of the wildlife park John Radnidge says the thieves appeared to have used bolt cutters, then took out the power and captured the monkeys with nets.

"These people were obviously aware as to what they needed to do and what they needed to bring," he said.

Mr Radnidge says the eight animals combined are so small they could fit in a shoe box.

It is the second time in a fortnight rare animals have been pinched from their enclosures.

Keepers at Sydney's Taronga Zoo discovered on May 20 that two green-winged macaws had been stolen.

Police are investigating whether that crime is linked to the theft of another pair of macaws from a house in Sydney three months earlier.
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Devastating blow for Symbio, though if it's true that they've had a cotton-top stolen before, then they're going to have to strengthen their security before receiving any more ASMP animals.

I wish I could say I'm hopeful that they'll be recovered, but frankly I think it's unlikely. The fact that so many individuals were taken suggests a well-planned, professional operation to me.
 
Hi everyone,

I manage Symbio and have been a member of Zoochat for a little while, but never posted, I think its a wise decision to have representation on industry forums like these.

I have not really had much of a reason to post, until now.

the information in the stories is correct, the intruders cut power cables and 3 padlocks to gain entry, we certainly have not given up hope of the animals being returned, we are hoping the exposure will reach someone that has some answers.

We have not had any other primates stolen in the past, I think you may be thinking of Mogo Zoo 4 or 5 years ago.

look forward to contributing to the site where I can.
 
Welcome Raddo to the site and it's good to have you here. I really hope that the animals are found safe. I like your place, have visited 3 times in the past and hope to do so again soon.
 
Raddo said:
Hi everyone,

I manage Symbio and have been a member of Zoochat for a little while, but never posted, I think its a wise decision to have representation on industry forums like these.

Welcome to ZooChat Raddo, I agree it is a wise idea to have some represention here from the zoo industry and welcome your input :)
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doesn't that just make you sick, dumping the tamarins in a cage in a park? One has to wonder about the fourth tamarin - did they decide to keep one, did it escape, or has it died....?
 
Very glad to be proven at least 7/8ths wrong. Good luck Raddo with finding the remaining tamarin.
 
good luck indeed after Channel10 news announced to the country this afternoon that police were planning a raid on a property in Auburn tonight to locate the missing tamarin.
i hope it does not affect the chance of getting the baby back safely
 
How are the ones who've been returned faring? Hoping they're not too stressed, and recovering from their ordeal OK?

*fingers crossed* for the last little guy. Hope he's found safe & sound soon.
 
Thanks Jay,
we are working hard to turn the place around, we are a little way down the track, but we'll get there

the missing Tamarin is still out there, the information police are recieving indicates the animal is still alive, we are still hopeful of recovering him.

the 7 returned animals are doing really well, the 3 tamarins are all over us again, it was amazing the transformation from when we received them from the police (the conditions they were in were very ordinary) but as soon as they came back to my place and I set them up, they relaxed staright away and started feeding out of the hand, I think they knew they were home.

similar situation for the Pygmys, although they have always been cautious, the day before they were taken, all 4 animals were on one of their keepers for the first time, they are a bit more wary now, but their confidence is building, I will admit they are getting a bit spoilt at the moment.

over time I would like to find out where everyone is from, i.e what park, or what your stories are, I love feedback, will happily accept constructive criticism, am comfortable with opposing ideas, but dont do real well with anything negative from the 'anonymous'

and if anyone needs rain, you can have ours
 
just goes to show that not all the monkeys for sale over the internet in Australia are fake :D
 
Turns out this tamarin is not 'Rico' from Symbio but rather 'Concetta' from Alma Park.
 
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