‘Athletic’ Younger Giraffe Escapes from an Arizona Zoo to Get Snacks

A giraffe on the Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Arizona, determined to familiarize herself with the neighborhood. 

On Wednesday, March 5, Msituni, a three-year-old feminine reticulated giraffe, escaped from her enclosure on the Reid Park Zoo simply earlier than 9 a.m., when doorways open for guests. The incident led to the park delaying its opening by 90 minutes. 

In accordance with a press launch from the zoo obtained by PEOPLE, Msituni hopped over the fence of her enclosure, took a stroll, and nibbled on a close-by mesquite tree. “We went into our regular emergency procedures that we follow on a regular basis,” Nancy Kluge, president and CEO of Reid Park, informed KGUN 9 Information. 

The zoo’s animal care and veterinary groups persuaded Msituni to return to her habitat with extra snacks and treats. “We had been very fortunate that she was calm; it was very straightforward,” added Kluge. 

In accordance with KGUN 9, this was the primary time one of these incident had occurred on the Reid Park Zoo. Nonetheless, Kluge assured reporters that her group was readily ready. “We do a special drill just about each month,” she shared. “We’ve got our employees undergo to plan and reenact [these scenarios], so it is second nature.”

The zoo will make “short-term modifications” to its giraffe enclosure to maintain Msituni, the opposite giraffes, and zoo patrons secure. The zoo’s assertion additionally famous that “longer-term everlasting modifications might be made as effectively to accommodate Msituni’s athletic and curious nature.”

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The zoo maintains that there was by no means a danger to the animals or people in Msituni’s neighborhood throughout the giraffe’s escape. Kluge defined to Arizona Central that giraffes “should not certain to go after an individual or one other animal, however simply due to their dimension, we need to watch out,” The zoo was closed when the incident occurred.   

The escape try could possibly be seen as Msituni’s introduction to her fellow zoo residents, as she is new to the Reid Park Zoo. The younger giraffe was welcomed to the park on February 19 and joined giraffes Penny, Jasiri, and Moyo.

“We’re very excited for Msituni to hitch us right here on the zoo,” Adam Ramsey, Director of Animal Care at Reid Park Zoo, mentioned on the time of her arrival. “She is a really pleasant giraffe and can make an amazing companion for our giraffes.”