Dallas Zoo officials search for clouded leopard that escaped
The Dallas Zoo is seen from the air by KDFW cameras as officials look for a clouded leopard that is unaccounted for.
The Dallas Zoo was closed to the public on Friday after authorities realized one of the clouded leopards had escaped its habitat and remains unaccounted for.
The zoo announced a "code blue" alert on Twitter and said "a non-dangerous animal" had somehow fled its enclosure.
The Dallas Police Department and zoo officials are scouring the grounds to recover the naturally shy animal which can be found in the wild in Central and South East Asia.
The Dallas Zoo is closed as officials search for an escaped clouded leopard, Friday, Jan. 13, 2023. (KDFW)
A clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) rests inside its enclosure at Gembira Loka zoo closed for public to curb the spread of the coronavirus on May 5, 2020, in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. (Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)
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"Given the nature of these animals, we believe the animal is still on grounds and hiding," zoo officials said. "We will share updates and more information as soon as we can."
Texas zoo officials have not expressed any concern that the leopard, which normally feasts on small to medium-sized animals, has escaped into adjacent neighborhoods.
No details about the specific leopard, including its name, time in captivity or age have been released.
A clouded leopard cub runs at the Mulhouse zoo, eastern France, on Aug. 28, 2020. (SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP via Getty Images)
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"Our focus right now is on locating the animal," the zoo said.
Wild Life of Thailand described the typically nocturnal animals as "wily" and "intelligent" as "masters of their own habitat."
A clouded leopard is relaxing in the renovated Alfred-Brehm-Haus in Berlin's zoo in 2020. (Jens Kalaene/picture alliance via Getty Images)
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Clouded leopards in captivity have also been described as friendly and sociable creatures.
Clouded leopards are listed as "vulnerable" with decreasing populations largely down to a loss of habitat in-part relating to illegal palm oil deforestation.
The zoo later confirmed for Fox News Digital that it had recovered the animal.
"We are thrilled to report we located clouded leopard Nova on-grounds at the Zoo this afternoon at approximated 4:40 p.m. She was located very near the original habitat, and teams were able to safely secure her just before 5:15 p.m.," a Dallas Zoo media official said.
"Initial indications are she is not injured," they added, noting she was evaluated by the zoo's veterinary staff.
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