Chinese Zoo Kept Leopards' Escape a Secret for Days Before Alarming Authorities

Residents in eastern China requested answers after a safari park refused to notify officials and residents for weeks after three of the leopards escaped their enclosure.

A Chinese zoo has been chastised for keeping the leopards' escape a secret.

The zoo advised police that it did not investigate the event because it feared it would disrupt the flow of visitors during public holidays.

Leopards Escapes the Zoo

According to Hangzhou Safari Park in Fuyang, one of the leopards was still on the loose. After paw prints suspected to have been left by the leopard were discovered Sunday, local media confirmed that a search party is on the hunt.

The leopards fled on April 19, according to the vice mayor of Hangzhou City, some weeks before the first confirmed sighting. The zoo also confessed to the police that it did not announce the event because it was concerned that it would disrupt the flow of visitors during China's May Day public holidays in the first week of May.

Police Interference

Five people in charge of the park, including the general manager, have been arrested, according to police, who have opened an investigation.

According to the Chinese state-backed newspaper Global Times, residents of surrounding communities reported seeing leopards in various locations as early as May 2, sparking panic and uncertainty.

Leopards Found Near Residential Area

Residents alerted authorities after seeing leopards wandering around residential areas and tea plantations near the park on Saturday, according to a statement from the Fuyang District government.

To find the wildlife, search parties were deployed, which included helicopters and hunting dogs. Two of them have been apprehended and are in good condition, according to park authorities.

Statement from the Zoo

In a now-deleted post on its official WeChat website on Saturday morning, the safari park simply revealed that it would be halting operations, citing safety concerns. It made no mention of the leopards that had gotten away.

The park was forced to publicly warn the public about the escaping leopards after a security video showing a leopard in the high-end Jinyuan Villa residential area went viral online on Friday. It apologized Saturday evening, saying it was "sincerely sorry" for not alerting the public earlier, maintaining that the leopards were just juveniles, and expressing concern that the news would cause fear.

The park has also come under criticism after CCTV, China's state-run broadcaster, confirmed seeing injured leopards after being apprehended. Local authorities replied that the leopards were in good condition, but Chinese social media users were outraged.

A user on China's Twitter-like Weibo said: "A hefty fine should be imposed on the zoo. This incident posed a significant risk to people's life and property."

Another person voiced their displeasure with the zoo's handling of animals, saying: "The zoo's actions must be properly investigated. Investigate not just whether the animals may have escaped, but also if they are well handled and cared for."

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