Visitors evacuated from part of zoo as orangutan escapes from enclosure

Visitors had to be evacuated from part of an animal theme park when an orangutan escaped from its enclosure and climbed trees. Video footage showed the large female sitting about 20ft above a large crowd at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. At one point, the orangutan drops to the floor and climbs on to a display board, prompting screams from some of those standing nearby. The orangutan was eventually shot with a tranquiliser dart and was subsequently returned to its enclosure.

They didn’t really share much of what was going on. They just told us to please stay calm

Bianca Guzman says visitors were told to move on

No injuries were reported to park guests or employees but it remained unclear how the animal managed to escape. However, the ape, an 18-year-old named Luna, was said to be the second to have left its enclosure while the public were in the park in just over two weeks. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said it was carrying out an investigation. In a statement, the park said: “The animal care team responded immediately and the animal is back safely and securely in the habitat without incident.”

The safety of our guests, employees and animals is our number one priority.

Busch Gardens statement

orangutan