A bonobo, an endangered great ape, escaped its enclosure in ZOO Planckendael in Mechelen on Friday, resulting in the evacuation of the entire zoo.
The ape caused a commotion when it was reported missing. It was quickly seen sitting in a tree outside bonobo island, where the creatures are kept. ZOO Planckendael said in a statement that it immediately activated the emergency plan for safety reasons.
"The park has been evacuated and safety is a priority. The police are on the scene," the statement read. Although its diet is predominantly fruit, the animal can be dangerous to humans, which is why visitors were brought to safety.
The zoo caretakers are now doing all they can to get the animal back into its enclosure.
