It all started on Wednesday afternoon, when it was announced that a ring-tailed lemur named Maki had been stolen from the Lipman Family Lemur Forest at San Francisco Zoo by unknown intruders. Police, eager to get him home safely, quickly asked the public for help.
Missing Lemur #SanFrancisco we need your help in locating "Maki" the stolen Lemur! Maki is an endangered animal and requires specialized care. If spotted please dial 911 and be prepared to provide as much detail as possible https://t.co/VJOkACtNwC pic.twitter.com/JEei6NjNgU
— San Francisco Police (@SFPD) October 14, 2020
Details trickled out slowly: Maki is 21, was born in the zoo and has at least one child. He has cute little white ears, chestnut eyes, and a squiffy little face. Police believe he was singled out from the other lemurs because he was “the slowest of the troop” and therefore, the “easiest to capture.” (You have to start working out, Maki!)
love the idea of spotting something that could be this missing lemur, then counting the tail rings and being like nope there are only 11 https://t.co/03iQe3cJa6
— Emma Silvers (@emmaruthless) October 16, 2020
On Twitter, a dedicated Maki account quickly popped up. Elsewhere on social media, rumors and conjecture started to circulate in earnest. Maki was drinking at a bar, he was for sale, he was “tired of lockdown.” One person even accused him of being a monkey. (The nerve!) One conspiracy theorist suggested it had been an inside job. “Check every staff’s house, closet, garage, strt w zoo keeper,” @bujheekom implored.
Emotions ran high as animal lovers across the city willed Maki’s safe return.
— Kyle Simerly (@ksimerly) October 16, 2020
Others tried to discourage the thieves from keeping Maki by shaming them, cursing humanity, and offering practical information about lemurs being “stinky.”
while it is illegal to keep lemurs as pets in california, the @DukeLemurCenter also says lemurs âmake highly inappropriate pets.â lemurs are âstinkyâ and they will urine mark. https://t.co/Br4Mic0CLh
— Teresa Hammerl (@colazioneAroma) October 16, 2020
Twenty-four hours into the search for Maki, the San Francisco Zoo offered a $2,100 reward for the safe return of their lemur, along with a photo of his tiny food-covered face being totes adorbs.
Thank you for your supportive messages during this difficult time. At this time, we do not have any updates about Maki and we are very concerned. Weâre offering a $2,100 reward, $100 for every year Maki has lived, for any information leading to his recovery. pic.twitter.com/L96OZiTCKj
— San Francisco Zoo (@sfzoo) October 15, 2020
Zoos as far-flung as Wichita, Kansas felt San Francisco Zoo’s pain and sent best wishes:
We are thinking Maki and his care team, the Zoo and the community. We hope for Maki's swift, safe return.
— Sedgwick County Zoo (@SedgwickCoZoo) October 15, 2020
Then finally, on Thursday afternoon, the news we had all been waiting for! Sam Trinh reported that his wife and 5-year-old son James had spotted Maki as they left the day care center at Hope Lutheran Church in Daly City, at around 5pm.
The news was quickly confirmed by the church’s pastor (the first trans pastor to be ordained in the Lutheran church, no less!), Rev. Megan Rohrer.
The missing Lemur was at the Lutheran church! Much better than the day the @sfpd has to look for the lion roaming through town. https://t.co/ptp9QMXs08
— Rev. Dr. Megan Rohrer (@mmrohrer) October 16, 2020
Maki went quietly, judging by this footage:
BREAKING: Maki found at a preschool in Daly City! Hereâs video of him in a crate around 5 pm. After parents and kids discovered him, he hid in the playground. Now back home at @sfzoo.PD still looking for suspect. #Maki pic.twitter.com/aRWYyGoXC4
— Ian Cull (@NBCian) October 16, 2020
The Daly City police were evidently pleased with their collar.
We found Maki, the stolen lemur from @sfzoo!! Around 5pm, we got a report he was in the playground area of the Hope Lutheran Church. We contained him until staff from the zoo took him back home. Here is Officer Haas with Maki.
We are grateful Maki is home safely! pic.twitter.com/U5rB2RnIxC
— Daly City Police (@DalyCityPD) October 16, 2020
Maki is now back in the zoo, resting his slow, stripy butt after his big adventure. No word yet on any at-large suspects, or where that reward is going, but some folks are suggesting it should go to 5-year-old hero James Trinh.
For more on the weird stuff that ring-tailed lemurs get up to when they’re not on the run, here’s a handy video.
Go back to sheltering in place, Maki!
Copyright 2020 KQED