Honshu the monkey moves to Edinburgh to start new life after going on the run in Scottish Highlands

Honshu, the monkey who famously escaped from the Highland Wildlife Park, has moved Edinburgh Zoo to ‘start afresh’

A monkey that went on the run from a Scottish wildlife park has started a new life in Edinburgh.

Honshu the Japanese macaque, who spent five days roaming in the wild after escaping from his enclosure at Highland Wildlife Park near Kingussie in January, has been moved to Edinburgh Zoo.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), which runs the wildlife park and the zoo, said Honshu had been relocated to the Capital attraction to give him "a fresh start".

Honshu the monkey, who famous spent five days on the run in the Scottish Highlands, had been moved to Edinburgh Zoo to give him a "fresh start". Photo: RZSS

Darren McGarry, head of living collections at the RZSS, said: “Primate group dynamics can be very complex, especially in a situation like this where an individual is separated from the troop for an extended period of time.

“Honshu is also of the age when macaques disperse or move away, so it would have been very difficult to reintroduce him to his wider family.

“Instead, we want to create a new mini-troop for him, comprised of three other male macaques of similar age – just like with our giraffes.

“Thankfully they have settled in well together at the park and are now being moved to their new home at the zoo.”

A major search, which included the use of a drone, was launched after Honshu escaped from the wildlife park on January 28. He was found in a garden in the nearby village of Kincraig on February 1 and was shot with a tranquilliser dart before being taken back to the park and checked over by vets.

It is thought the monkey, nicknamed Kingussie Kong by locals, may have been tempted by Yorkshire pudding which had been left on the bird table overnight and was all gone in the morning, according to reports.

RZSS chief executive David Field said Honshu’s last breakfast at Highland Wildlife Park included Yorkshire pudding, saying “that’s what he likes so why not.”

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, he said Honshu has been doing well since his adventure but the time is right for him to move on.

He added: “He is actually great, he has formed a real bond with his peer group, he is probably the kind of benign ruler of them all, he is a bit of the boss, but he’s doing really well, he’s a beautiful, beautiful monkey and we’re really looking forward to having him down here in Edinburgh.”

Mr Field said Honshu was being a “little bit disruptive” at the wildlife park after his time away and was trying to take on the adult males.

He added: “It’s perfectly natural that at his age he would want to start moving on to find different groups, to try and take over groups, so it’s a bit like boys in the playground to be perfectly honest, he needs to move on and we have the perfect opportunity to have him here in Edinburgh.”

Keith Gilchrist, living collections operations manager at Highland Wildlife Park, said: “We were amazed by the level of interest in Honshu’s escape from across the globe but our only priority throughout the process was to secure his safe return.

“I’m glad to say that thanks largely to the expertise of the team involved in his recapture, as well as a groundswell of support from the local community, we were able to do just that. Now it’s time for Honshu’s next chapter.”