Indianapolis Zoo corrals cheetah, investigation underway

INDIANAPOLIS — A lockdown was in effect at the Indianapolis Zoo Sunday morning after a cheetah escaped from its exhibit.

Officials said the cheetah left the enclosure and a Code Red was issued at the zoo, meaning all guests had to remain inside. The lockdown was in place from about 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Zoo spokeswoman Judy Palermo said zoo staff members saw the cheetah lying in an area of landscaping between the cheetah exhibit and public space. She said it remains unclear how the cheetah was able to escape the exhibit.

The cheetah was behind a barrier and was unable to make its way into public space, Palermo said. The lockdown immediately went into effect, and staff members moved guests to indoor "safe zones."

The zoo safety team approached the cheetah and used a tranquilizer dart to subdue it, Palermo said. After being darted, the cheetah ran back to its exhibit.

Around 11 a.m., Palmero issued a statement saying that all zoo guests and staff members were safe. She added that all the cheetahs were safe and were being kept in holding area away from the exhibit.

An investigation to determine how the cheetah escaped is underway, and Palermo said all cheetahs will be kept off the exhibit until that investigation is complete.

Known as the fastest animals on land, cheetahs can accelerate from 0 to 70 mph in about three seconds. The $2 million, 20,000-square-foot cheetah exhibit opened at the Indianapolis Zoo in 2010. Palermo said there have been no prior issues.

The last reported animal escape from the Indianapolis Zoo happened in January 1993 when a 4-foot wallaroo named Mookie went over the wall and hopped downtown, according to The Star archives.

It was on the loose for about 20 minutes before zoo employees threw a net over it, capturing it unharmed in a fenced parking lot at Capitol Avenue and New York Street.