Society

Zoo apologizes for escaped chimpanzee

OSAKA, Oct 19 (News On Japan) - The Director of Tennoji Zoo, one of Japan's oldest zoos opened in Osaka in 1915, has apologized for a chimpanzee that escaped on Tuesday through a gap in the wall, admitting that a design flaw was at fault.

The female chimpanzee managed to squeeze through a 20 cm gap located between the steel frame and wall of an animal passage. Visitors were evacuated from the zoo, which temporarily closed, and the chimpanzee was captured 3 hours later.

A veterinarian was bitten and injured during the escapade.

The zoo said a "design error" was the cause, and has taken emergency measures such as filling in the gaps with iron plates.

by Brian Dentry

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