Someone broke into the Ochsner Park Zoo in Baraboo, Wisconsin, between Monday night and Tuesday morning, causing several animals to go missing.
Police believe one person or a group of people set them free purposefully, according to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The suspect is still at large.
Two otters and two great horned owls escaped from the zoo after the exterior gate padlocks were opened along with the habitat locks, Police Chief Rob Sinden said, according to the outlet. (RELATED: Crazy Video Shows Orangutan Attacking A Man In A Zoo)
No dangerous animals were set free, nor did any other animals wander off due to the break-in, according to Channel 3000.
Baraboo’s Ochsner Park Zoo was broken into, and somebody released multiple animals.
— JSOnline – NewsWatch (@js_newswatch) June 9, 2022
The two otters were found Tuesday afternoon by kayakers nearby unharmed, according to Fox 6 News. The zoo was happy to have them return healthy, the outlet noted.
Additionally, one of the great horned owls is believed to have returned, with veterinarians working to confirm the owls’ identity and checking for any injuries or harm done while on the loose, according to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Zookeepers were “pretty confident” the bird was one of the escaped owls.
The second owl has yet to be found. Baraboo police suggest calling the department if the owl is located, although the creature has no physical marking to help identify it, according to the outlet.
Ochsner Park Zoo was reportedly closed for investigation Tuesday and reopened Wednesday, the outlet noted. The zoo is home to about 60 animals of a variety of species.