Orangutan ESCAPES its enclosure at Chester Zoo forcing visitors to be evacuated 

  • Female Sumatran, Indah, escaped enclosure at Chester Zoo into keeper's area
  • Visitors had to be escorted out of area, which has now been temporarily closed
  • It is the second time the critically endangered primates have escaped the area
  • The last time was during a visit from the Duke of Westminster in June last year 

By James Dunn For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

An orangutan has escaped its enclosure in Chester Zoo and made it into the keeper's area.

Visitors had to be escorted away from the popular exhibit when the Sumatran orangutan Indah escaped the enclosure in the Monsoon building.

It is the second time that the animals have escaped since they were moved there when the zoo opened the new £40million Islands attraction in July 2015.

An orangutan has escaped its enclosure in Chester Zoo and made it into the keeper's area. Tuti, Subis and Siska when they first moved to the new enclosure

An orangutan has escaped its enclosure in Chester Zoo and made it into the keeper's area. Tuti, Subis and Siska when they first moved to the new enclosure

The recent escape was the second time the orangutans have got out since the zoo opened the Islands attraction (pictured)

The recent escape was the second time the orangutans have got out since the zoo opened the Islands attraction (pictured)

The area has now been closed to the public 'for a short time', as zoo look into how the female primate escaped, reports the Chester Chronicle.

The zoo's PR manager Alex Knight said: 'At 2.30pm on Sunday, a young Sumatran orangutan made her way into a keeper area.

'Keepers were on hand to safely usher her back inside her usual habitat just over five minutes later.

'A small number of visitors were briefly escorted out of the area as a precaution.

Sumatran orangutans Emma and Tripa
Primates at the zoo pictured in 2006

Sumatran orangutans Emma and Tripa (left) and primates at the zoo pictured in 2006

'We have fixed the enclosure fault and the house is now closed for a short time to allow external contractors to assess further.' 

Last summer, part of the attraction had to be closed off when four orangutans escaped from their enclosure while the 6th Duke of Westminster was visiting.

That day, another female, Subis and her infants Tuti and Siska, as well as Indah, managed to escape the enclosure.

Sumatran Orangutans are considered critically endangered, at high risk of extinction, and can weigh up to around 130lbs. 

 

 

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