A bighorn sheep at the Buffalo Zoo in New York briefly escaped its enclosure Wednesday morning as keepers were relocating the animal to a new habitat, zoo officials confirmed.
Colby, the 11-year-old sheep, got out while zoo staff were working to move him from a temporary housing area to a permanent enclosure. The escape occurred before the zoo opened to the public, and the sheep never left zoo grounds.
“Our animal care and veterinary teams prepare diligently for these scenarios, responding in an efficient and professional manner,” the zoo said in a statement provided to WKBW-TV. “We are reviewing the circumstances surrounding the situation. The Zoo is now open and operating as normal.”
The zoo’s bighorn sheep are currently housed in a temporary habitat in the Destination Dinosaur Trail area while their main enclosure undergoes major renovations. The incident took place during the move from that temporary space to a permanent enclosure, according to a zoo statement.
No injuries were reported, and the zoo resumed normal operations Wednesday.