Story highlights
Chimpanzee briefly got out of her enclosure at Dallas Zoo
Officials said she did not come in contact with the public
They are investigating how she may have gotten loose
Dallas authorities responded to a hairy situation at the city zoo Tuesday when a chimpanzee escaped its cage.
Koko, a 25-year-old chimp born and raised in the Dallas Zoo, wandered out of her cage into the main chimpanzee house, which is confined, officials said.
A “code red” was called at 10:15 a.m. CT. Veterinarians and police rushed to the scene.
Koko was shot with a tranquilizer dart and taken back to her quarters, where she was examined, said Lynn Kramer, deputy director at the zoo.
“Koko is groggy but doing fine,” said Kramer. “Our staff was never in any danger and the public was never in contact with her. She never left the chimp house.”
The zoo has launched an investigation into how Koko got loose – whether it was due to human error or a defective cage door, Kramer said. The situation was resolved within 45 minutes, he said.
This isn’t the first time an animal has tried to escape. Last year, CNN affiliate WFAA reported a 380-pound gorilla escaped its cage at the Dallas Zoo. That incident also wrapped up safely and within an hour.
In 2004, a male gorilla escaped his enclosure and attacked three people. He was shot and killed, WFAA said.