Residents from a rural community on the outskirts of Stroud, Glos., took to social media in confusion and concern after spotting the primate walking about.
Some wondered whether the monkey had escaped from its owner.
The alarm was first raised by a local resident, posting on the Whiteshill & Ruscombe Community group on Facebook: “Strange question, but is anyone looking for a lost monkey?!
“Seen walking down across the fields from Whiteshill to the main road”.
“My mother in law who also saw it and grew up in India thinks it’s a spectacled langur”.
Several people were quick to dismiss the claims, but Melody was not the only person to see the furry runaway.
Another local resident also witnessed it “running north away from Stroud heading towards Painswick”.
Residents have shown concern for the animal wondering around in “such freezing conditions”.
Wildlife expert and documentary filmmaker Tim Whittard said it was rare but not the first time this has happened.
He addd: “A monkey was filmed running freely around an area of woodland near Canterbury, Kent in January of 2022, and around 15 years ago in the Forest of Dean several eye-witnesses saw a pair of monkeys which had escaped from a private collection.
“Many people may not realise that there are 85 species of monkey which can be legally purchased in Britain, without a license – as easily as a goldfish or hamster”.
Plans for a new Animal Welfare Bill will if passed make it much more difficult to legally own these animals as pets.
But currently the RSPCA estimates tat there may as many as 5000 monkeys being kept as pets across the UK.
