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Dallas authorities arrested a man allegedly responsible for the disappearance of two monkeys from the Dallas Zoo. And he admitted to police he’d do it again once released from jail.
Davion Irvin, 24, is anti-zoo and all about animals living in their natural habitat. But instead of saving a dog or cat from an animal shelter or petitioning against zoos like ordinary people, he thought it’d be best to purloin two emperor tamarin monkeys from the zoo on Jan. 29. The langur monkeys in the exhibit didn’t escape.
He told police that he waited until it was dark before jumping the zoo’s fence and cutting a metallic netting, gaining access to the area where the two monkeys were. AP News reported that he took public transportation and walked to the home where he stored other animals, like several cats and pigeons he most likely got from the street.
The police could locate the missing monkeys named Bella and Finn in a closet in the house, along with fish food and dead feeder fish.
This wasn’t Irvin’s first time, allegedly. On Jan. 13, the zoo had to close down due to a search for their clouded leopard, “Nova,” who escaped her exhibit. Investigators discovered a cut in her enclosure, revealing someone purposefully wanted Nova out of her caged area.
Irvin said Nova allowed him to pet her after she was free, but she decided to climb on top of her enclosure. People at the zoo told police that before the monkeys disappeared, they recalled a man asking suspicious questions about monkey care and Nova. He reportedly entered a building meant for staff members close to the monkey exhibit.
Police released a photo of Irvin, who was recognized by members of a church that owned the same home Ivrin kept the animals. Irvin was arrested near The Dallas World Aquarium, where an employee recognized him from the news. He had asked the aquarium employees about some of their animals.
It’s unclear how Irvin could steal more than once from a zoo that installed extra security cameras and recruited additional guards in mid-January.
Irvin is facing two burglary charges and six animal cruelty charges. His total bond amount is $130,000.