Jaguar escapes from New Orleans zoo and kills six other animals

A jaguar escaped from his habitat at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans on Saturday morning and killed six animals.

The male jaguar, Valerio, escaped around 7.20am and was captured and returned to its night house after being sedated by a vet team nearly an hour later, after it had mauled four alpacas, one emu and one fox.  

The killings appeared to stem from territorial disputes, according to CBS News. No people were hurt.

Frank Burks, the zoo's chief doctor, said an additional three animals are being treated for injuries

The male jaguar, Valerio, escaped around 7.20am and was captured and returned to its night house after being sedated by a vet team nearly an hour later

Audubon Zoo houses over 2,000 animals on its 58-acre property and has been in operation for over 100 years

Audubon Zoo houses over 2,000 animals on its 58-acre property and has been in operation for over 100 years

Frank Burks, the zoo’s chief doctor, said an additional three animals are being treated for injuries. 

‘In over a 100-year period, we’ve never had any incident like this,’ said the president and CEO of Audubon Nature Institute, Ron Forman, at press conference. 

President and CEO of Audubon Nature Institute, Ron Forman (pictured) said the zoo will investigate the incident, including how the jaguar got free

President and CEO of Audubon Nature Institute, Ron Forman (pictured) said the zoo will investigate the incident, including how the jaguar got free

News outlets report the zoo was closed Saturday and would reopen Sunday.   

It was not immediately clear how the animal escaped. An investigation is underway. 

‘We receive inspections a few times a year from Association of Zoos and Aquariums since 1981,’ Forman said. ‘This is by far the biggest tragedy we’ve had.’

Audubon Zoo houses over 2,000 animals on its 58-acre property and has been in operation for over 100 years.  

Joel Hamilton, vice president and general curator at the zoo, said the three-year-old jaguar will not be euthanized.  

‘Nothing’s going to happen to the jaguar itself,’ he said. ‘Unfortunately, it was doing what jaguars do.’

‘We are looking to investigate everything that happened and to prevent anything like this from ever happening again,’ said Forman.    

Burks said the zoo will investigate the incident, including how the jaguar got free.

‘The animal care team is devastated by this tragic loss,’ the zoo said in a statement. ‘Today is a difficult day for the Audubon family.’ 

This is not the first time a jaguar has escaped its enclosure at Audubon.

 In 2001, a 70-pound cub named Mulac got loose for about 10 minutes before he was brought down with a tranquilizer dart. No animals or humans were injured in that escape. 

Frank Burks, the zoo's chief doctor, said an additional three animals are being treated for injuries

Frank Burks, the zoo’s chief doctor, said an additional three animals are being treated for injuries

 

 

 



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