A New Zealand zoo said that an apparent attempt to steal squirrel monkeys from their enclosure was foiled as the animals fought back. The Wellington Zoo said that someone used bolt cutters to break into the enclosure after the zoo closed on Friday night.  However, squirrel monkeys weighing just 750 grams fought back and did not let them be taken from the zoo.

At least two of the zoo's 12 squirrel monkeys were bruised in the incident. From the bruises caused to the monkeys, it is sure that the intruders could have been injured too.

Following the incident, Chief executive Karen Fifield said that the break-in to Wellington Zoo's squirrel monkey enclosure suggests someone wanted to steal the animals.

In a Facebook post, Wellington Zoo said, "Overnight there was a break-in at Wellington Zoo. We initially believed a squirrel monkey was missing however we have since located all of these monkeys, some of whom are injured."

Expressing sorrow, the post further read, "We are devastated that people have put these animals in danger and the police are investigating this break-in. We will be increasing our regular security patrols in light of this incident."

Here is the Facebook post:

After the pot received wide support from social media users, the Zoo' Facebook updated by thanking followers for the concern. The post reads, "Thank you everyone for your support and concern for our Squirrel Monkeys, whose habitat was broken into over the weekend. They are all doing well and we're keeping them all together so they can support each other while they settle back into their daily routine. We'll be keeping a close eye on them over the next few days to make sure they are well."

Check the Facebook post here:

Fifield said the would-be thief would have "some monkey bites, for sure". According to the zoo's website, the "cheeky and curious" squirrel monkeys arrived at the zoo in 2010. They are omnivores and mostly feed on vegetables, fruit, insects and small animals.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 10, 2018 08:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).