Police Searching for Loose Monkey in Ohio Park

— -- Residents in Minerva Park, Ohio, are on the lookout for a monkey that has reportedly been on the loose since Thursday.

Witnesses have reported seeing what appears to be a medium-sized howler monkey in Minerva Park, an independent village in Columbus. The Minerva Park Police Department posted an alert on their Facebook page on Thursday, warning residents that if they see the monkey they should not approach it and to contact police.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture, which has workers that are trained in safe capture methods, along with Minerva Park Police officers, searched the area on Friday morning, but were unable to find the monkey.

According to ODA spokeswoman Erica Hawkins, the ODA has experience with luring wild animals to safety through the use of sedation. She says that residents should not try to lure the monkey with food or attempt to capture the monkey themselves.

While officials can't seem to catch the Minerva monkey out and about, they have been able to track it down on social media. It has its own Twitter handle, @minervamonkey, and already has almost 200 followers.

If anyone sees the monkey they're asked to call police.