At minimum 1 great horned owl is still missing soon after an individual or group broke into Baraboo’s Ochsner Park Zoo earlier this week and released many animals, according to authorities.
On possibly Monday night time or Tuesday early morning, a particular person or folks cut all of the padlocks on the exterior gates of the zoo and entered, Baraboo Law enforcement Chief Rob Sinden said.
About 60 animals of 30 different species reside at the no cost-admission zoo, which opened in 1926, according to Mike Hardy, Baraboo’s parks, recreation and forestry director.
At the time inside of, the culprit lower off amongst 15 and 20 padlocks on animals’ enclosures and also propped doorways open up, Sinden said.
“It was a distinct intent to try to stir all those animals or release animals,” Sinden mentioned.
Sinden believes releasing animals was the aim, not money acquire, he included.
They ended up unsuccessful at opening “any perilous animal cages,” but did endeavor entry into a bear cage, Sinden explained.
“Thank goodness that they have been not equipped to open up that doorway,” he explained. “That could have been very perilous for people today in our local community.”
Though the monkey show was opened, the monkeys did not depart, Hardy stated. The individual(s) also kicked in a fence panel to where by the goats and pigs keep.
4 animals remaining the premises: two otters and two excellent horned owls.
“They are not made use of to currently being out,” Sinden explained.
Specialist care and having an individual feed them is all they know, he spelled out.
On Tuesday afternoon, the two missing otters have been found together by a kayaker subsequent to the close by Baraboo River’s riverbank.
“They ended up discovered to be content and wholesome,” Sinden claimed.
On Thursday early morning, what appears to be one of the missing owls was recaptured, according to Hardy.
Veterinarian staff are performing to confirm the animal’s id and are checking for any accidents, he explained in an e-mail. But zookeepers are “rather assured” it is really just one of the missing owls.
The continue to-missing owl has no physical marking or tag that would make visual identification uncomplicated, Hardy said in an email. Habits would be the least complicated way to ID it.
“We anticipate they will not vacation much from the zoo originally, as the region all over the zoo is wooded in addition to their only acknowledged food source has been in the zoo,” Hardy claimed.
Though the owl does have the actual physical potential to hunt, it has never ever experienced to learn how to, he explained, so it could become weak and expend more time on the ground.
“Additionally, as they are imprinted, they will most likely be far more applied to human exercise and may be fewer probable to fly absent upon seeing people nearby,” he reported.
Sinden urged individuals who may location the missing owl to not to solution it by themselves. Instead, contact the Baraboo Police Office at 608-356-4895.
“We have the zoo specialists on stand-by,” he said.
Ochsner — which has an once-a-year attendance of about 48,000 men and women — depends on donations to care for the animals, Hardy mentioned in an e mail. Summer hours are 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily.
The zoo was shut for “investigation purposes” on Tuesday and reopened Wednesday.
Make contact with Hannah Kirby at [email protected]. Stick to her on Twitter at @HannahHopeKirby.