St. Louis Searches for Loose Vervet Monkeys Amid AI Fakes

St. Louis authorities are searching for a group of vervet monkeys spotted loose in a northside neighborhood near O'Fallon Park last week, with the effort complicated by a flood of AI-generated images and videos circulating on social media.

The primates were first reported on Thursday, January 8, by residents and a St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officer in the area around Red Bud Avenue. Initial accounts described at least four animals, though officials have confirmed only that more than one monkey is involved. The St. Louis Zoo identified the animals as vervet monkeys, a species native to sub-Saharan Africa known for their greenish-olive or silvery-gray fur and black faces. These monkeys typically weigh 6 to 11 pounds and travel in troops of 10 to 50, often foraging for leaves, fruits, and occasionally insects or small animals.

The origin of the monkeys remains unknown, and city officials emphasized that no licensed facilities, zoos, or permitted owners have been linked to the animals. Owning exotic primates like vervets is prohibited under St. Louis ordinances, making it unlikely that an owner will come forward. Justen Hauser, bureau chief of environmental health for...