SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Animal Care Services is investigating a case involving a monkey that bit an 11-year-old boy on Saturday.
The owned Vervet monkey, a species with gray fur and dark faces that is typically medium- to large-sized, bit the child’s right ear during a family gathering, according to ACS.
Family members sought medical attention for the bite and reported it to ACS on Monday.
Monkey bites can carry a risk of diseases such as rabies, Herpes B virus, HIV and monkeypox.
ACS said these monkeys typically live in groups called troops with a detailed social hierarchy. Vervet monkeys, native to Southeastern Africa, are fast and agile omnivores that can live up to 30 years.
Owning monkeys or other primates in the City of San Antonio is illegal. ACS said the vervet’s previous owner was cited for the bite, having no proof of rabies vaccination, and possessing a prohibited species in San Antonio.
The animal was surrendered to ACS, and investigators are working with the Texas Department of State Health Services and local primate experts to determine quarantine requirements.