Busch Gardens Tampa had a bit of an issue on Friday afternoon as an Orangutan escaped the parks Jungala area. The ape was recorded by guests in the park as it climbed through trees in the park. As a precaution, the park evacuated part of the park and closed down rides. The ape was safely captured, without harm.
The ape escaped the Jungala habitat, though it’s unclear exactly how it made it’s escape. While an escaped animal is always a cause for concern, Orangutans are not known for being very aggressive. However, the slip up comes at a bad time for zoos and theme parks, as a list of high profile incidents involving animals have happened this year.
A tiger killed it’s keeper at the Palm Beach Zoo earlier this year. Just a short time ago, a lowland gorilla was shot and killed when a four year old boy crawled into the gorilla habitat. The gorilla became agitated and began acting aggressively towards the child. Just two weeks ago, a child was killed by a wild alligator at Walt Disney World.
While no one was ever in danger at Busch Gardens, the park took the extra precaution of keeping guests out of the back end of the park to avoid any conflicts with the animal.
The animal was able to be captured, though if past incidents are an indication, the park will keep the animals out of the habitat, and in the enclosure until the reason for the escape can be identified. No harm has, or will come to the animal.
Busch Gardens Tampa opened the Jungala section of the park in 2008. The area is home to not only Orangutans, but also tigers. The area is a popular destination for being able to get up close with the animals.
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