A cheetah on loan from the San Diego Zoo Safari Park to the Indianapolis Zoo escaped Sunday, prompting the zoo to invoke a “Code Red” requiring all guests to remain inside.
Guests were herded into “safe zones.” None were ever in danger, said a zoo spokeswoman.
Pounce, a 4-year-old male, was spotted within an hour lying in an area of lush landscaping. Trainers used a tranquilizer dart to subdue him. Hit with the dart, he dashed back to his exhibit and was unconscious within three minutes.
Pounce and his brother, Zephyr, came to the Indianapolis Zoo from San Diego in July.
Cheetahs are known for their speed. They also have a relatively placid temperament, with none of the aggressiveness, for example, of tigers.
At Indianapolis, Pounce and Zephyr are part of the Race-A-Cheetah exhibit, supported by the foundation of NASCAR star Tony Stewart.
For 50 cents, a patron can see if they can out-race a cheetah. They can’t: A cheetah can reach 60 mph in three seconds.
In 2014, two orangutans named Rocky and Knobi escaped at the Indianapolis Zoo and in 1994 a wallaroo named Mookie escaped, according to the Indianapolis Star newspaper. All were captured without injury.
Pounce and Zephyr are off exhibit Monday while zoo officials try to figure out how – and why – Pounce escaped, the spokeswoman said.
The cheetah exhibit will remain closed “until the zoo is certain the issues that led to this incident have been resolved.”
