A beloved squirrel monkey known as Banana Sam was returned scared but safe to the San Francisco Zoo on Saturday night, two days after he was taken. Banana Sam was “hungry, trembling and thirsty,” after police returned him to the zoo, but a full physical examination showed he was healthy, zoo spokesman Danny Latham said in a statement. Banana Sam’s theft Thursday prompted the zoo to boost security and keep the other 17 squirrel monkeys indoors. He was taken after thieves cut through a gate and made holes in the mesh surrounding the monkey exhibit. The 17-year-old monkey was found at Stern Grove, a park about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from the zoo, police spokesman Carlos Manfredi said. The monkey was found by a bystander who saw him come out of the bushes. “He managed to coax the monkey into his backpack,” Manfredi said. The man called police, and within…   More →