Man who allegedly stole endangered lemur from California zoo arrested, cops say
Authorities in California arrested a man in connection with the case of an endangered lemur that was stolen from the San Francisco Zoo, police say.
The elderly lemur was found at a church in Daly City one day after he was reportedly stolen from the zoo on Oct. 14, according to a news release from the San Francisco Police Department.
Zoo officials reported Maki, a 21-year-old male ring-tailed lemur, went missing and officers who responded to the incident found someone had forced entry into the Lipman Family Lemur Forest habitat, according to the release.
The San Francisco Police Department confirmed the lemur was stolen Oct. 15, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
“We understand that lemurs are adorable animals, but Maki is a highly endangered animal that requires special care,” said Dr. Jason Watters, executive vice president of animal behavior and wellness at the zoo, according to KGO. “As one of our oldest lemurs, Maki ... is also one of the slowest, and we believe, likely, the easiest to catch.”
Maki was found Oct. 15 on the playground at Hope Lutheran Church in Daly City, about 5 miles from the zoo, after a woman noticed the animal and called 911, police said according to the Chronicle.
Cory McGilloway, 30, was arrested by San Rafael police Oct. 15 for an unrelated matter, according to a news release. McGilloway had photos of Maki on his phone, which officers found odd, KTVU reported.
McGilloway will be taken to the San Francisco County Jail after he is released from San Rafael police custody, according to the release. He will be booked on charges of burglary, grand theft of an animal and vandalism, police say.
The San Francisco Zoo’s outdoor lemur habitat is the largest in North America, KGO reported.
Lemurs are primates that evolved before monkeys or apes, according to the San Diego Zoo.
“If you did not know what a lemur was, you might guess that it was related to a cat, squirrel, mouse, or dog,” the zoo’s website says.
They generally have small, mouse-like faces, but the bigger species have faces that more-closely resemble a fox’s, according to the zoo. Their wet and hairless noses make them “superior sniffers” compared to their primate cousins, the zoo says.
There are over 100 species of lemurs known today, some of which have longer hind legs that help them jump between tree branches, according to the zoo. They are native to the island of Madagascar, the Duke Lemur Center says.
“Lemurs are the most threatened group of mammals on the planet, and 95% of lemur species are at risk of extinction,” according to the research group’s website.
It is illegal for California residents to possess lemurs, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
“Why would anyone want a lemur,” said Barry Lipman, a former San Francisco Zoo board member, according to KGO. “They’re incredibly rare animals, they’re endangered, they’re not easy to take care of.”
The zoo offered a reward of $21,000 to anyone with tips and information that led to Maki’s safe return, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The zoo has not said whether that reward will be distributed, according to KPIX.
This story was originally published October 15, 2020 at 10:50 AM with the headline "Man who allegedly stole endangered lemur from California zoo arrested, cops say."