Indiana zoo locked down briefly after cheetah jumps out of exhibit

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Sun Sep 6, 2015 3:16pm EDT
Related: U.S.

Indiana zoo locked down briefly after cheetah jumps out of exhibit
By Suzannah Gonzales

The Indianapolis Zoo was locked down briefly on Sunday morning after a cheetah jumped out of the main exhibit area, a zoo spokeswoman said.

No zoo visitor, staff or cheetah was injured in the incident, Indianapolis Zoo spokeswoman Judy Palermo said.

"We want to assure everyone that all of our guests and our staff are safe," the zoo tweeted.

About 9:40 a.m. local time on Sunday, a zoo staffer noticed that a 4-year-old male cheetah named Pounce jumped into a fenced grassy area next to the primary exhibit. Zoo visitors walk alongside the grassy area, Palermo said.


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/06/us-usa-indiana-cheetah-idUSKCN0R60VG20150906?rpc=401r

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Indianapolis Cheetah Exhibit





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[No Vested Interest]

1. Gorgeous animals! nt

[elleng]

2. POUNCE, Pounce!

[C Moon]

3. I was watching wild cats at a zoo...

I was standing to the side (they were in a glass enclosure), and there was a man standing in front of the glass talking to someone next to him.

The cat was about 25 yards away, hunched down, he slowly kept hunching further down, staring at the man talking (who was not paying attention), and kept moving forward very slowly...then he sprung toward the window...and then walked away.

It was amazing to watch, but scary at the same time.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Would have been fascinating to witness! No doubt he/she got the man's attention! n/t

[C Moon]

13. I don't recall the guy reacting. He was standing sideways, and the cat didn't touch the glass.

But yes, it was exciting to see.

[Marrah_G]

5. fortunately they aren't known for attacking humans

[onehandle]

10. Yep. Cheetahs are kind of like wolves or foxes and would rather avoid you.

Also Cheetahs never prosper.

[NV Whino]

6. Pounce is aptly named it seems.

[passiveporcupine]

7. That enclosure does not look big cat safe

A bobcat can jump up to 12 feet high. A cheetah can jump up to 26 feet in length. That may not be the same as height, but those walls don't look much higher than 12'.

What are these people thinking?

[JudyM]

8. Article says he just arrived there a week ago. Already figured the place out.

Also it says no humans were hurt... Wondering if he went after another animal or just wanted to jump out to get some space.

[pansypoo53219]

9. why did the cheetah cross the road.

to get to the other grass.

[ailsagirl]

11. Damn zoos should be outlawed nt

[BlueJazz]

12. Stood about 6 ft from one when I visited So. Africa. You don't get the "Shit, it's going to eat me"

...feeling but still, they command respect. I love and adore them.

[jmowreader]

14. It's a cat. What did you expect?

Kitten decided he wanted to lay in the grass on the other side of the fence, and did just that.

[Skittles]

15. I opened my window a couple of inches for some fresh air

not enough for my cat to get out, I thought.........guess again

[tonekat]

16. I was fortunate enough to

visit the Smithsonian/National Zoo Cheetah Research Facility in Front Royal, VA. Our guide was the woman who manages the Cheetah stud book to make sure there is diversity in breeding, and making sure zoos get animals that are as genetically unrelated as possible. Stunning animals.

[FSogol]

17. That's a cool facility. I was lucky enough to get a ticket to their yearly (private) open house

a few years back.

[dembotoz]

18. What's tom Brady doing in Indy???

[JCMach1]

19. Have petted a Cheetah inside a zoo enclosure along with the zookeeper

they are the tamest of the big cats...


No, I didn't lose any fingers