Man charged with Endangered Species Act violation in theft of lemur from zoo

A man from California on Monday was arraigned on one misdemeanor count of violating the Endangered Species Act for allegedly kidnapping a ring-tailed lemur from the San Francisco Zoo’s Lipman Family Lemur Forest.

Cory John McGilloway, 31, appeared in court via video link from a Los Angeles jail on Monday after he allegedly forced entry into the lemur forest in October 2020. He is accused of stealing a 21-year-old male ring-tailed lemur named Maki. Zoo officials described the animal as “highly endangered” and said that it required “special care,” according to ABC News.

A $2,100 reward for information regarding Maki’s disappearance was offered by the zoo at the time and two days later a woman recorded a video showing a man, who is believed to be McGilloway, walking a lemur on Treasure Island.

Maki was spotted unattended by a 5-year-old boy later that day at a playground in Daly City, which is located about 10 miles outside of San Francisco, ABC News reported. 

Prosecutors said that the lemur, described as dehydrated, agitated and hungry, was rescued and returned to the San Francisco Zoo that day and police later arrested McGilloway in a town 18 miles northwest of San Francisco after he was spotted allegedly driving a stolen trunk. 

If he is found guilty of kidnapping Maki, McGilloway could have to pay up to $50,000 in fines and potentially face up to one year in prison.