TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Reid Park Zoo briefly delayed its opening Wednesday morning after a 3-year-old giraffe ventured outside her habitat.
According to zoo officials, Msituni, a giraffe who had only been at the zoo for around three weeks, was outside of her habitat just before 9 a.m., before the zoo opened to the public.
Though she didn't leave her enclosure, she jumped onto a level above her habitat with her eyes set on a nearby mesquite tree. But, staff were prepared, according to Reid Park Zoo CEO and President Nancy Kluge.
“We do a different drill pretty much every month that we have our staff go through to plan really enact that so that it’s second nature if something does happen," Kluge said.
Staff immediately initiated emergency response protocols, delaying the zoo’s opening for about an hour and a half while ensuring the giraffe’s safety.
"We're enticing her with treats and all the all the things that she loves to eat to entice her back into the habitat," said Nancy Kluge, the president and CEO of Reid Park Zoo.
Zoo officials say Msituni remained calm throughout the situation, staying in one area and nibbling on the tree.
Under the supervision of the zoo’s animal care and veterinary teams, she eventually returned to her habitat on her own.
“All giraffes are safe, and the Zoo has reopened,” the statement from Reid Park Zoo read.
The zoo says short-term modifications to the giraffe habitat began immediately after the incident, with longer-term permanent adjustments planned to accommodate Msituni’s active and curious nature.
"We've got a short term plan to beef up the enclosure and the containment and then at the same time we'll be planning for some longer term fixes for the walls to raise their height," Kluge said.
ORIGINAL STORY
Reid Park Zoo is opening late today, according to a zoo spokesperson.
No official reason was given, but the spokesperson said that there was no lockdown, as was speculated in Facebook groups online.
The spokesman said more information would be provided later in the day.
