Maki, the 21-year-old lemur, is found at a church playground just one day after he was stolen from the San Francisco Zoo

 A ring-tailed lemur stolen from the San Francisco Zoo has been found, police said Thursday.

The 21-year-old male lemur named Maki was discovered missing shortly before the zoo opened to visitors on Wednesday.

Someone called police Thursday evening to say that Maki was spotted in Daly City, a few miles south of the zoo, officials said.

Maki was discovered on Thursday in the playground area of Hope Lutheran Church in Daly City

Someone called police Thursday evening to say that Maki was spotted in Daly City, a few miles south of the zoo, officials said

The church took to social media to share that they had found the endangered lemur

'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,' Daly City police tweeted.

Maki was found to be in good health and was transported back to the zoo, San Francisco police said in a statement.

Detectives are still investigating the break-in. 

On Wednesday, Maki was discovered missing shortly before the zoo opened to visitors.

Investigators found evidence of a forced entry to the lemur enclosure and processed the scene for evidence.  

They're seeking tips from the public, explaining that Maki is an endangered animal that requires specialized care. A photo of a ring-tailed lemur was being circulated.

The 21-year-old male lemur was discovered missing on Wednesday morning shortly before the zoo opened to visitors

Investigators found evidence of a forced entry to the lemur enclosure and processed the scene for evidence

'We understand that lemurs are adorable animals, but Maki is a highly endangered animal that requires special care. We are asking the public for help in his return,' said Dr. Jason Watters, Executive Vice President of Animal Behavior and Wellness, KTVU reports.  

Maki was born at the zoo in 1999 and has an offspring in the Lipman Family Lemur Forest, zoo spokeswoman Nancy Chan said.

The outdoor lemur habitat, considered the largest of its kind in the country, houses seven different lemur species native to Madagascar, according to the zoo's website.

'Guests can see the lemurs from several vantage points: from across a surrounding pond, looking eye to eye at lemurs in the trees or gazing down below from an elevated boardwalk,' the website says.

Maki was born at the zoo in 1999 and has an offspring in the Lipman Family Lemur Forest, zoo spokeswoman Nancy Chan said

According to the Smithsonian's National Zoo website, ring-tailed lemurs have tails that consist of 13 alternating white bands. 

A pair of koalas were stolen from the zoo in 2000 while a squirrel-monkey was stolen in 2011

The animals have a median life expectancy of about 16 years and spend roughly 40 per cent of their time on the ground. 

Ring-tailed lemurs are listed as being endangered, with lemurs categorically being the most endangered mammals in the world.

In the state of California, owning a lemur as a pet is an illegal act. 

Animals at the zoo have been stolen before. 

In 2011, someone stole a 17-year-old squirrel monkey named Banana Sam from a primate shelter by cutting into his mesh enclosure. A Stern Grove resident found the monkey and returned him to authorities. The 2011 culprits were never caught. 

In 2000, two teens stole a pair of koalas from the zoo but they were soon apprehended and the animals had only minor injuries.