Intruders absconded with 12 of the 38 squirrel monkeys held at Zoosiana in Broussard, Louisiana, last weekend, the zoo announced Monday.

The facility was breached just before midnight Saturday and cut into the fencing at the squirrel monkey exhibit.

“The remaining squirrel monkeys have been carefully assessed by both the Zoosiana veterinarian and animal care team, and there are no other apparent issues affecting their health or well-being. All other animals are accounted for and appear to have been undisturbed,” the zoo wrote in a Facebook post.

Zoo staffers discovered monkeys were missing Sunday morning when they went to check on the troop of squirrel-sized primates, native to Central and South America.

“Our animal care process here is very thorough and significant, and with that you build a strong rapport and care and even love for these animals. … It’s incredibly upsetting. They’re a part of our family. Above all else we’re just very upset and would love for the monkeys to be returned,” Zoosiana General Manager Matt Oldenburg told The Acadiana Advocate.

Mr. Oldenburg and his family have run Zoosiana for over two decades, according to KATC-TV, a Lafayette, Louisiana, ABC affiliate.

Law enforcement is investigating the burglary, although hunting down missing monkeys is new territory for authorities.

“In the 13 years of law enforcement, we haven’t really investigated theft of squirrel monkeys,” Broussard Police Department Chief Vance Olivier told KLFY-TV, a Lafayette CBS affiliate.

The department is communicating with Dallas police, since that city’s zoo has had numerous incidents involving break-ins recently, including the escape of a clouded leopard from a suspicious breach in a fence and the theft of two emperor tamarin monkeys.

“I think that there may be some possibility they are related. We are in contact with the Dallas Police Department with their detective division. We tried to see if a possible suspect is the same as the one in Dallas,” Chief Olivier told NewsNation.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.