Monkey found during California traffic stop is getting a new home

MADERA COUNTY, California (KSEE/KGPE) - A monkey discovered during a bizarre traffic stop in California on Tuesday is getting a new home.

Officials pulled over a 2022 Rolls Royce Ghost at around 8 p.m. for speeding on Highway 99 in Madera County. The California Highway Patrol's Sergio Moreno says finding an exotic animal in an exotic car made it "a traffic stop with a twist."

"The driver had a baby monkey attached - or clenched - on his person. That's something you don't see every day."

The driver was identified as 27-year-old Ali Mused Adel Mohamed from Southern California.

The CHP says Mohamed was found to be driving under the influence and transporting cannabis for sale. Officers arrested Mohamed at the scene - and the spider monkey was taken to Madera County's Animal Services.

"Spider monkeys are illegal. You cannot possess them," said the director of Madera County Animal Services Amy Toler. "It is on the endangered species list. Definitely can't have them here in California."

The spider monkey was taken to Madera County's Animal Services for an overnight stay before state officials were able to take him in the morning.

"Since we don't have what the monkey needed for feeding, we went with the next best thing, which is your common bananas," Toler said.

Video shared with Nexstar's YourCentralValley.com shows the monkey being fed mashed bananas. Any time they tried to take the spoon away from him, he let out a high-pitched squeal. 

No matter how adorable he was, Toler says smuggling an illegal animal is no monkey business.

“This is not where they should be. You know, we should not be caring for these animals. They need to be in the wild with nature, with their own species," Toler said.

The spider monkey was taken by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife on Tuesday morning and will eventually find his way to the Oakland Zoo for further care.