New arrival used shared pond to reach adjacent habitat, zoo says
A wildebeest that had been at the Fort Wayne Zoo for less than a week escaped its enclosure Friday afternoon, prompting a temporary evacuation of the African Journey exhibit, according to zoo officials.
Michelle Smurl, the zoo’s vice president of animal care and conservation education, told local affiliate WANE-TV that a staff member noticed the animal had moved from its primary habitat to an adjacent habitat through a shared pond space. The wildebeest did not leave zoo grounds.
“Our team’s response yesterday was exactly what we train for and what we hope to see whenever an unexpected situation occurs,” Smurl said. “Their quick actions allowed us to secure the area and provide the wildebeest with a safe path back into his habitat. We are proud of the collaboration and expertise demonstrated by our staff, and most importantly, the incident was resolved safely for both our guests and the animals in our care.”
The zoo evacuated the African Journey exhibit to create a calm environment while keepers addressed the situation, officials said. The wildebeest was able to return to its own enclosure, and the African Savanna exhibit later reopened.