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Orangutan escapes in Fla. amusement park

Animal tranquilized, captured, officials say

 

An orangutan climbed onto the trending lists of social media Friday when it escaped and got loose in a Florida amusement park, ABC News and NBC News reported.

The animal was tranquilized with a dart and captured at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida, state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesperson Gary Morse told ABC. It had been returned to its cage and was doing fine.

It wasn’t known how the animal escaped. Officials were investigating.

Video on social media showed the animal in a tree while a crowd looked on.

"The animal care team responded immediately and the animal is back safely and securely in the habitat without incident," Busch Gardens said in a statement. "The safety of our guests, employees and animals is our number one priority."

A different orangutan escaped its enclosure at the park last month, NBC reported. That animal was loose for about an hour.


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