A bear at the St. Louis Zoo got out of his outdoor enclosure for the second time this month.
Zoo officials stated that Ben, an Andean bear, escaped around 1 p.m. on Thursday.
"Guests and staff on grounds were quickly escorted into various indoor facilities while team members secured Ben," the zoo said in a statement on Facebook.
It took about 50 minutes from the moment they noticed Ben had escaped from the time he was recaptured, zoo officials said. No injuries were reported.
It's unclear how Ben managed to escape this latest time. On Feb. 7, officials said Ben meddled with the steel mesh in his outdoor habitat, causing a cable to give way. That allowed him to work his way out of the enclosure.
Zoo officials said they reinforced his enclosure, but it apparently wasn't enough to keep the enclosure secure.
"At four years old, we know Ben is young and adventurous. Our team will continue to work collaboratively and consult with the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) Bear Taxon Advisory Group (TAG) to investigate other alternative ways to secure the habitat," the zoo stated.
