Minty the monkey remains elusive

DON SCOTT/The Press

ON THE RUN: Minty the Monkey has been missing for six days.

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Minty "the hunted one" has been spotted hanging around a local property after escaping her enclosure at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, on the outskirts of Christchurch.

Today marks the Capuchin monkey's fifth day on the loose.

Willowbank park manager Jeremy Maguire said staff suspected her escape was prompted by a climbing accident.

"We think she fell in the moat at the front of her enclosure then made her way across instead of coming back and has gone over the electric fence. It's just a fright response as much as anything."

While Capuchin monkeys were not known for their swimming prowess, "a lot of things can swim if you biff them in the deep end," Mr Maguire said.

She has since been spotted several times at a nearby property.

"There's quite a thick hedgerow there and some good tree cover that she seems to have taken a liking to. So she seems to be staying local which is good," Mr Maguire said.

Staff were trying to entice her down with food, but had to be careful not to frighten her in case she ran off.

Minty has beaten her previous record of three days on the run, achieved when she took to the streets of Christchurch during a trip to the vet last year.

- NZPA