The search for Kingussie Kong: Watch as drone closes in on Japanese macaque on the run and hiding in woodland after escaping from Scottish zoo

The first drone footage of an escaped Japanese snow monkey has been captured, showing the animal walking through the forest – just 300 meters from the park.

After four days on the run, the primate, nicknamed Kingussie Kong, has still managed to evade capture after escaping from its enclosure at the Highland Wildlife Park, Kingussie, on Sunday morning.

Keepers said the Japanese macaque is slowly moving closer to the park and although they were able to track the macaque for 45 minutes using drones on Tuesday, it was not in a position from which they could retrieve it.

Now footage has emerged of the monkey, also known as the Japanese macaque, making its way through the undergrowth in Inverness-shire woodlands, just yards from the park.

A series of images show the monkey enjoying its wild environment. In one he sits comfortably looking around before taking a leisurely stroll further into the trees, while in another he wanders into deep undergrowth.

A series of images show the monkey enjoying its wild environment

A source at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, which owns the park, said a drone picked up footage at the end of their search on Tuesday afternoon, just before darkness fell.

He said: ‘They watched him for about 45 minutes but they were not in a position to shoot the monkey safely so chose not to, and then the light faded and they had to end the search for that evening stop. ‘

But with a yellow warning from the Met Office for high winds on Wednesday and gusts of up to 85mph possible, the weather conditions will mean it will not be possible to use the drones, although the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) said the search will continue. Get on.

Keith Gilchrist, living collections manager at Highland Wildlife Park, said: ‘After continued help from @bhwildlifeconsultancy we were able to track the macaque for 45 minutes yesterday using drones.

‘Unfortunately he wasn’t in a position where we were confident we could bring him in safely, but he’s getting closer to the park.

‘Our team will be out again today, but given the strong winds we will not be able to fly drones, but will use thermal imaging cameras.

‘We continue to ask locals to bring in any obvious potential food sources such as bird feeders or food waste.

‘Although the macaque is not believed to be dangerous to people or pets, our advice is not to approach it, but if any sightings occur, contact our hotline on 07933 928377.’

A team from the zoo is searching for the animal and the public has been warned not to approach it

A source added that it did one unconfirmed sighting so far this morning, adding: ‘If true then he’s still close to the park so fingers crossed he just goes back in.’

Caretakers are also patrolling the area where the monkey was spotted, but their efforts to capture it have not been successful so far.

It is breeding season in the park and the animal is said to have escaped from its enclosure around 7am on Sunday after challenging another primate.

Since then there have been a number of sightings, with one of the first in the nearby village of Kincraig, where it was seen stealing from garden bird feeders.

However, over the four days he was seen closer to home, and the keepers were optimistic he was heading home.

The source said: ‘We don’t know what a macaque’s instinct is, but at its farthest point it was four kilometers away and now it seems to have come within 300 meters of the park, so it suggests it must have some idea that that is his home. ‘

The keepers also hoped that when he hears a whistle they use to attract the macaque flock during feeding times, he will hear it too and it will attract him back to the enclosure.

Staff hope the animal – known for its intelligence – will figure out that the gate is only electrified on the inside and can get back inside safely.

And just in case he returns of his own accord, they’re doing five staffings a day instead of the usual two.

Snow monkeys are the northernmost non-human primates in the world and are well adapted to freezing temperatures. In the wild, they huddle together in roosts for warmth in winter and soak in hot springs to stay warm.

Mountain rescue team member Jonny Porteous uses a drone to search for the escaped monkey

A couple who spotted the monkey in their backyard this weekend described the experience as “so surreal.”

Carl Nagle, 49, and his partner, Tiina Salzberg, 50, spotted the monkey from their patio doors in Kincraig near Kingussie on Sunday morning.

He nibbled on the nuts in their bird feeder and sat on the garden fence for about 15 minutes before running away.

Ms Salzberg, head of strategy at a marketing consultancy, said: ‘We watched in awe at how upsetting it is to see a Japanese snow monkey in your garden in a village in the middle of nowhere.

‘It was absolutely wild, both of us elbowing each other trying to get the other out of the way so we could get the best video and camera angles.

“It was incredible, I’m sure, once in a lifetime.”

Mr. Nagle said, “It’s just the most surreal thing. I’ve seen snow monkeys in the wild, but you don’t expect to see them in your backyard in the Highlands.’