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[Josh Greenman <joshg1973 AT yahoo.com>]

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/8544191.htm?1c

Posted on Thu, Apr. 29, 2004

Eight KC Zoo escapees find their taste of freedom unappetizing

By MATT CAMPBELL The Kansas City Star

Eight chimpanzees at the Kansas City Zoo escaped Wednesday afternoon 
when a tree fell against the perimeter of their enclosure.

All the chimps returned to their holding area on their own within an 
hour of the 4:30 p.m. incident, zoo director Randy Wisthoff said.

No zoo visitors came into contact with the animals, which escaped into 
a wooded area behind the chimp enclosure. The animals were not in the 
zoo's public area, but 25-30 persons were restricted — some locked into 
restrooms or the crocodile building — for their safety. Others were 
detained at the gorilla exhibit, Wisthoff said.

Zoo staff responded with tranquilizing equipment but did not need to 
use it. The animals apparently were disoriented outside their exhibit 
and returned voluntarily, Wisthoff said.

“Everybody did what they're supposed to do,” Wisthoff said of the zoo's 
response. “They acted calmly and professionally.”

As a precaution, zoo officials notified the Swope Memorial Golf Course 
up the hill from the exhibit, but the chimps did not venture there.

“We imagine people would have let them play through,” Wisthoff said.

Officials were mindful of recent events in Dallas and Boston.

In March, a gorilla escaped from an enclosure at the Dallas zoo and 
mauled three persons before being shot to death.

In September, a gorilla at the Boston zoo escaped and injured a toddler 
and an 18-year-old woman before being recaptured.

Among the escapees Wednesday was the 13-member group's patriarch, 
Jimmie. He is in poor health and voluntarily re-entered the holding 
area through a gate. The others climbed back into the exhibit using the 
fallen tree.

The escape occurred during the monthly board meeting of Friends of the 
Zoo. The group had intended to visit the baby rhinoceros, but that 
visit was postponed.

An orangutan at the Kansas City Zoo escaped in 1998 and was captured 
after being tranquilized.