INDIANAPOLIS — A chimpanzee was on the loose inside the Indianapolis Zoo on Friday as guests were asked to head back to their cars or shelter in secure locations.
An Indianapolis Fire Department run shows that dispatchers were called for a reported animal bite at the zoo at 10:10 a.m. Zoo officials said no one was injured, however, during the chimp’s escape.
Shortly before noon, a spokesman for the Indianapolis Zoo confirmed that a female chimp escaped her exhibit at approximately 10 a.m. and was loose inside the zoo. She has since been sedated and safely returned to her enclosure.
On Friday morning, visitors at the zoo told FOX59/CBS4 that they were asked to stay inside the zoo’s dolphin exhibit amid reports of a loose chimpanzee. A few visitors also took to Facebook, including a bus driver who claimed to be at the Indianapolis Zoo on a field trip with children.
“I’m on a Field Trip at the Indianapolis Zoo with 37 kids, parents, and teachers. Why is there a Chimpanzee on the loose at the Zoo?” asked the bus driver, Sherman Williams.
Sources within the zoo told FOX59 the loose chimp, who did not escape zoo property, is believed to be the chimpanzee named Mara. A photo shared to FOX59 shows the loose chimp standing on top of the chimpanzee enclosure.
At 11:42 a.m., police sources informed FOX59 that the loose chimp has reportedly been contained. Zoo officials briefly spoke to the press afterward and confirmed the escape and recapture while praising zoo employees for their response and safely returning the chimp to her exhibit.
The zoo spokesman said no one was injured — guests, zoo staff or the chimp — and guests were safe at all times during the chimp’s escape.
The zoo was reopened to the public at noon.