Dallas Zoo: Timeline of Suspicious Events Police Investigate

DALLAS – A string of bizarre and possibly criminal incidents at the Dallas Zoo have made international headlines, each more mysterious than the last.

Newborn animals at the zoo often make the news, but the zoo itself is now in the spotlight.

It all started on January 13th.

It was then that a clouded leopard named Nova escaped from the enclosure.

The zoo closed to the public and issued a “Code Blue” warning, meaning a non-dangerous animal has left its enclosure.

While nearby residents were asked to keep an eye on the 25kg clouded leopard, it was eventually found near its habitat on the zoo grounds later that day.

CONNECTED: Missing clouded leopard found safe at Dallas Zoo; criminal investigation continues

Police were called to investigate after zoo officials discovered that the enclosure had been deliberately cut down.

That same day, investigators discovered that a second fence had also been cut, this time for the langurs.

No one escaped, and at the time police said they did not know if there was a connection between them.

About a week later, the critically endangered 35-year-old vulture was found dead in its habitat.

The cause of death was determined to be a wound, possibly intentional and possibly suspicious.

CONNECTED: Police investigate ‘suspicious’ death of vulture at Dallas Zoo

Just two days later, all eyes were on the Dallas Zoo again.

The zoo president has posted a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in a string of bizarre incidents.

He added that the zoo has increased the coverage of surveillance cameras and doubled the night security on the ground.

But then, a week later, the zoo’s two emperor tamarin monkeys, Bella and Finn, went missing after their habitat was “deliberately compromised.”

The next day, the Dallas police release images of a man they say they want to talk to about the missing monkeys.

Late in the afternoon, the police received a tip that the monkeys were in an abandoned house in Lancaster.

During a search of this house, both monkeys were found in a closet.

CONNECTED: Missing Dallas Zoo monkeys found in abandoned house in Lancaster

While the monkeys have been returned to the zoo, this mystery remains unsolved.

Zoo officials said the monkeys showed no signs of injury.

They also said the reward for information is being raised to $25,000.

Anyone with information about any of these incidents is asked to contact DPD.