Squirrel monkey. Photo: Flickr user Ernst Vikne

(Bay City News via KQED) San Francisco Zoo officials are asking for the public’s help today after a monkey was stolen from an exhibit overnight.

This morning zoo staff discovered a 17-year-old male squirrel monkey, “Banana-Sam,” was missing from an exhibit that had been breached by vandals, according to a statement released by the zoo.

Banana-Sam weighs approximately 2 pounds and is more than a foot tall, zoo officials said.

Despite the monkey’s small and cute appearance, it should not be handled as a pet because it has extremely sharp teeth and “will definitely bite if provoked,” officials said in the statement.

According to zoo officials, the vandals cut a perimeter gate overnight and climbed on top of a roof sheltering five primate exhibits. The vandals cut two holes into the mesh of the squirrel monkey exhibit.

“This was a criminal act of vandalism and trespassing, and we are working with police to identify the perpetrators,” San Francisco Zoological Society president and executive director Tanya Peterson said.

This article is from our news associate KQED.

Banana-Sam arrived at the zoo with 20 other squirrel monkeys after funding for a local research program was discontinued.

“He is a valued member of the zoo, and we wish for a safe and speedy return,” officials said in the statement.

Anyone with information regarding Banana-Sam’s whereabouts is asked to contact the San Francisco Police Department at (415) 553-8090.

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This article comes to the Ocean Beach Bulletin from our news associate KQED. Read more about our partnership with KQED.