Taipei: Two chimpanzees that escaped from their enclosure Thursday afternoon at Taipei Zoo were captured and safely returned by veterinary staff within the hour, the zoo said.
According to Focus Taiwan, the zoo reported that a 44-year-old male named "Hsiao Chiang" and an 11-year-old male named Wa Chih escaped from their enclosure at 4:55 p.m. This prompted zoo management to activate an emergency response plan immediately.
By around 5 p.m., the area surrounding the breached enclosure was sealed off, and nearby visitors were evacuated as a safety measure. Veterinary staff prepared to tranquilize and capture the escaped chimps during this period.
Hsiao Chiang was located near a small giraffe enclosure and was successfully subdued with a tranquilizer dart at 5:23 p.m. Wa Chih, who remained near the chimpanzee enclosure, was tranquilized at 5:40 p.m. Both chimpanzees were safely returned to their enclosure, according to the zoo's statement.
The zoo has announced that it will hold a news conference on Friday to provide additional details regarding the incident.