Wildlife Officials Hope Doughnuts Lure Orangutan Out of Trees
By Associated Press
MACCLENNY, FL (AP) — State wildlife officials are hoping doughnuts will lure an orangutan into the open in Baker County. Residents have reported seeing a “big orange ball of fur,” said Karen Parker, a spokeswoman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Wildlife officers can’t confirm the furball is actually a large primate, though a Baker County animal control officer claimed she saw an orange-colored ape “much larger than a spider monkey” sitting in a tree. Some residents speculate it may only be a squirrel. Others think it may be a “baby Bigfoot.”
Whatever it is, it apparently has a sweet tooth. A bear hunter near Macclenny reported an animal stealing his sweet snacks, said fish and wildlife investigator Ken Holmes. Holmes laid doughnuts at the base of a tree, but the animal eluded him.
It’s illegal to own an orangutan in Florida without a commercial permit, and none are registered in the area, Holmes said. The closest zoo is in Jacksonville, but it hasn’t reported any missing animals.
“I can’t confirm that it wasn’t Bigfoot,” he said. “That’s one possibility. It’s just not a possibility I’m exploring.”
Source: The Florida Times-Union
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