Current Events > Dallas Zoo closed after leopard escape

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2023/01/13/dallas-zoo-closes-issues-code-blue-for-missing-clouded-leopard/

The Dallas Zoo closed Friday because of a serious situation involving a missing clouded leopard.

The zoo said it issued a code blue at 10:20 a.m., adding the Dallas Police Department was onsite trying to find the non-dangerous cat, 4-year-old Nova, who was unaccounted for when staff checked her habitat earlier Friday morning.

Given the nature of these animals, we believe the animal is still on grounds and hiding, the zoo wrote in a tweet.

Harrison Edell, the zoos executive vice president for animal care and conservation, said during a news conference that zoo staff found a tear in the mesh surrounding Novas enclosure and are spending a lot of time with binoculars looking for her in nearby trees.

Dallas police provided infrared drones to assist in the search. SWAT was also deployed as a precaution, police said.

More likely than not shes going to climb a tree, stay out of our way, hunt some squirrels and birds and hope not to be noticed, he said, adding that Nova does not pose a danger to humans.

Edell declined to comment on specifics of when the zoo discovered Nova was missing, but said the staff checks enclosures multiple times a day, starting with a head count of every animal first thing in the morning.

If Nova makes it off zoo grounds, Edell said no one should attempt to grab her, but instead should send photos and tips to the zoo at 469-554-7501, [email protected] or on Twitter.

Not optimistic someone won't ending up shooting the cat.

brestugo posted...

Not optimistic someone won't ending up shooting the cat.

I am sure there are already some wannabe heroes out there looking for it.

Who ordered the code blue!?

Damn, that'd be a good addition to someone's pokemon team

The only thing that stops a bad leopard with a gun is a good leopard with a gun

Wow, so leopards eating faces might soon become a literal thing in Texas instead of just figurative?

mybbqrules posted...

Wow, so leopards eating faces might soon become a literal thing in Texas instead of just figurative?

*republicans line up to vote for escaped leopard*

MICHALECOLE posted...

*republicans line up to vote for escaped leopard*

republicans line up to blame the vaccine

Clouded leopards are smaller than regular leopards, more like a bobcat than a mountain lion. Hopefully this means it won't get shot after unwittingly fucking up a person or two like a bigger cat might.

Pow_Pow_Punishment posted...

Clouded leopards are smaller than regular leopards, more like a bobcat than a mountain lion. Hopefully this means it won't get shot after unwittingly fucking up a person or two like a bigger cat might.

It's Texas. Some asshole is still going to shoot it

Zikten posted...

Some asshole is still going to shoot it

if they shoot it. i'm sure plenty of people on this site wouldn't be pleased with the outcome. goddamn trigger happy texas.

It literally doesn't matter if it gets shot. It's fine.

BurmesePenguin posted...

It literally doesn't matter if it gets shot. It's fine.

I value the leopard's life more than I do the average Texan.

Are leopards the one that attack on instinct when you turn your back?

It should get back in its cage where it belongs.

BurmesePenguin posted...

It literally doesn't matter if it gets shot. It's fine.

It is not fine. Its an innocent animal. It also might be an endangered species.

Zikten posted...

t is not fine. Its an innocent animal.

Yes, it's a dumb fucking animal.

Shoot it if you have to.

Then make sure it doesn't go to waste after.

BurmesePenguin posted...

Yes, it's a dumb fucking animal.

Shoot it if you have to.

Then make sure it doesn't go to waste after.

No. Its more valuable than most humans on the planet. You should not blast an endangered animal

Zikten I'm well aware that if Harambo had biten the kid's head off and swallowed it and then defecated on his torso your response would be "well the kid's already dead, no need to harm the animal"

Edit: Damnit, I shouldn't have said eat the head, now Zikten swill squabble over gorillas being vegetarians instead of grasping the point.

Leopards ate my face

BurmesePenguin posted...

Yes, it's a dumb fucking animal.

Shoot it if you have to.

Then make sure it doesn't go to waste after.

By your logic its okay for someone to shoot you and feed your corpse to some pigs.

This forum has always had some unhinged people, but holy shit

The-19th-Sparta posted...

By your logic its okay for someone to shoot you and feed your corpse to some pigs.

You are correct if you don't understand what logic is.

If the leopard finds some berries, will it eat them

The-19th-Sparta posted...

This forum has always had some unhinged people

there's plenty more unhinged people.
much more than you can comprehend with 100% of your brain

high on life.

Why close the zoo. That sounds like the safest place to be in this situation.

Clouded leopards have proportionately the longest canine teeth of all cats.

BurmesePenguin posted...

Yes, it's a dumb fucking animal.

Shoot it if you have to.

I'm not sure you should be advocating for shooting a creature based on it being a "dumb fucking animal."

Shoot it if you have to in Texas really just means shoot it if you have any excuse at all to get away with it.

Dakimakura posted...

Why close the zoo. That sounds like the safest place to be in this situation.

That's exactly what the leopard wants us to think.

I don't think this ends well for the cat

BurmesePenguin posted...

It literally doesn't matter if it gets shot. It's fine.

Sure as hell matters to the leopard.

Did someone contact Donald Trump Jr?
This is his chance to finally prove his hunting ability.

BurmesePenguin posted...

It literally doesn't matter if it gets shot. It's fine.

Considering they said multiple times its not dangerous, this is a sociopathic stance to take.

It'll definitely be hunting the prey animals in the other exhibits

FAQ-Checker posted...

Are leopards the one that attack on instinct when you turn your back?

Don't know about that but if you run from them most animals will chase.

Damn I hope they find and capture this menace

Was hoping for some Jurassic World level footage

FAQ-Checker posted...

Are leopards the one that attack on instinct when you turn your back?

I don't know about turning your back on a big cat like that but I seem to recall that mountain lions/cougars/pumas will invariably go for the neck of its prey

brestugo posted...

Don't know about that but if you run from them most animals will chase.

That's definitely the case with "pursuit predators" like cheetahs, wolves, lions, etc. Then again, most predators would likely chase prey it can capture if sufficiently hungry, so you're probably not going to get hunted down when fleeing from like a bobcat or something else that doesn't typically consume larger game.

FOUND!
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/clouded-leopard-escapes-habitat-at-dallas-zoo/3169783/

"We are thrilled to report we located clouded leopard Nova on-grounds at the Zoo this afternoon at approximated 4:40 p.m. She was first seen very near the original habitat, and teams were able to safely secure her just before 5:15 p.m.," the zoo said. "Initial indications are she is not injured. She is being evaluated by our veterinary staff right now. Well provide further updates on her status tomorrow."

Yay!

Best outcome!

Oh nice

I'm glad she never left the zoo. Probably saved her life

Don't shoot the cat!

Zikten posted...

I'm glad she never left the zoo. Probably saved her life

Seriously. When I saw they called out the SWAT team, I was not optimistic. Like, other than shoot it with high powered weapons, what are they going to do that zoo staff can't?

The cat was given a clean bill of health, then later destroyed.