Dial M for Monkey: 911 call from capuchin sends US cops rushing to zoo

Route, the Capuchin monkey who had called 911. (Image credit: San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office)

California Police got involved with a bit of "monkey business" last weekend when they investigated a 911 call which had gotten disconnected abruptly.

Police dispatchers tried to call on the number and even sent text messages but did not get any response. The officers then set out to investigate the matter and found that the call was made from a zoo.

But when they inquired with the staff, it turned out that none of them had called 911.

The police eventually discovered that the zoo’s Capuchin monkey, Route, had made the call after picking up a cell phone from a golf cart used to travel around the zoo's 40 acres.

"Our deputies have seen their fair share of "monkey business" in the county. But nothing quite like this," the Sheriff's office wrote on Facebook describing the incident. "We’re told Capuchin monkeys are very inquisitive and will grab anything and everything and just start pushing buttons. And that’s what Route did… just so happened it was in the right combination of numbers to call us."

Read more: Elephant alerts zookeeper to drowning antelope in incredible video

The Sheriff’s office also shared photos of Route to their Facebook page. "As you can tell from these photos, Route is a little embarrassed by the whole thing. But you can't really blame her, after all monkey see, monkey do," they stated.

The "monkey business" amused social media users. "Very clever indeed. Won't be surprised if Route dials for food delivery one day," commented Facebook user Nor Azatul Md Di.

Another user Patrick Morais wrote, "I think there's a little monkey in all of us to find this whole episode hilarious."

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