Posted on 03/10/2013 12:45:45 AM PST by nickcarraway
The San Diego Zoo was placed on lockdown Friday night after two striped hyenas escaped from their enclosure, zoo officials confirmed.
A source who wishes to remain anonymous told NBC 7 the incident happened around 5:30 p.m. The tipster believes the hyenas somehow jumped out of their enclosure.
The zoos public relations office confirmed the incident Saturday morning and told NBC 7 that two striped hyenas were able to get past one of the barriers inside their enclosure, temporarily escaping.
Worker at the zoo noticed the hyenas were not where they were supposed to be and, at that point, zookeepers came down to the enclosure.
Zoo officials say a lockdown for the zoo was immediately initiated following the escape as keepers worked to contain the animals. In an event like this, zoo officials say a lockdown is standard protocol.
The lockdown lasted approximately 30 minutes, according to zoo officials. Eventually, the two striped hyenas were darted with a sedative and taken to the veterinary care facility.
Zoo officials say the hyenas were never in contact with any humans and there was never any danger to zoo-goers. No injuries were reported.
The anonymous tipster told NBC 7 the zoo remained on lockdown for closer to an hour and half, rather than 30 minutes. The tipster also said a private party was happening on zoo grounds at the time of the incident. However, zoo officials said the area where this happened was nowhere near the private party.
Officials did not release any further details about how, exactly, the hyenas were able to get over the barrier. It is unknown if the barrier in question is a wall, moat or fence, as the hyena enclosure includes all different types of barriers.
No, but it seems the desire for freedom isn’t just a human instinct.
He had to get out to begin his run for the 2016 White House
Some people think that a pit bull’s bite is ferocious...try a hyena’s bite. Snapping bone is all in a day’s work for them.
Is that “drone” a Portuguese Water Hyena?
He had to get out to begin his run for the 2016 White House
Glowing stories in the Washington Post and New York Times by the middle of the week. Actually, it may take a little longer than that: there's an east coast shortage of typists who can turn Democratic [sic] party talking points into "news" stories in a timely manner.
LOL!!! Saw that coming a mile away and it was still LOL funny!
Two more illegal aliens are now loose in San Diego.
Well, if they were out of the entire enclosure, then they must have gotten over all of those barriers.
On the other hand, if they had only gotten over one of the barriers, then the zoo wouldn't really have needed a lockdown, because they would still see the hyenas.
Since BOTH of them escaped, I'm guessing that someone left gates open. I could believe one lucky animal managing to take a perfect jump, but two at the same time? Had to be something -- either failure to lock up after feeding, or maybe a tree limb fell into the enclosure.
The San Diego zoo has really open exhibits. I'll have to look through my pictures to see if I can find a good one of the hyena exhibit.
And who was the Anonymous Tipster?
My money’s on Jack or Al.
I've always thought .40 S&W was a very sporting way to hunt bug cats.
Uh... Make that “big cats”.
Apparently we’ve had a sudden jump in the evolutionary process.
Animals can now pick locks.
Searching hyena low for a retort w/o much laug- ..er, luck.
Oh I HATE that when that happens.
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