Students discover University monkeys living in abandoned mod
October 5, 2017
According to Public Safety reports, there was disturbance in one of the vacant mods on campus on Sept. 29. Caroline Coleman ’20 was walking to the campus shuttle when she heard music coming from Mod 21. Coleman knew that the mod had been empty for the entire semester, so she decided to investigate.
“Mod 21 was supposed to be deserted,” Coleman said. “So when I heard that remix, I wanted to know who was throwing down!”
According to Coleman, four capuchin monkeys, all of whom had escaped from neighboring labs, were not only living inside of Mod 21, but also throwing a party with self-made speakers and snacks.
Horrified, Coleman immediately called Public Safety to report the group of primates, who she panically referred to as “The Mod Monkeys.” Public Safety reviewed the case, but they ultimately opted to allow Rachel McDonnell ’18, an animal behavior major who had been working with the University primates since her first semester, to handle the issue.
“I thought they were drunk,” McDonnell said. “I mean, four monkeys throwing the best open party of the weekend? If it was to happen anywhere, I guess it makes sense that it was here.”
Since the initial sighting, McDonnell has been living with the monkeys and conducting an observational study in the now-quarantined Mod 21. Her findings suggest that the monkeys are starting to mimic University students, watching Netflix on a cracked laptop screen and making sure their kitchen is always fully-stocked with stolen bananas from The Commons Cafe.
“All in all, they seem like your average group of sophomores,” McDonnell said. “They eat, they sleep, they party, and they watch ‘The Office’ before bed.”
The University announced plans to evict the monkeys from their new home, giving them one month’s notice on Oct. 2. However, many students have expressed their support for allowing the monkeys to stay, some going so far as to join a “Save the Monkeys” club. The club will be tabling in the student space from now until the end of October, and is accepting donations in the form of dollars and bananas.
