Many animals are smarter than people give them credit for.
Case in point: when animals in captivity manage to bust out of their cages and make a run for it.
Check out these stories of amazing animals who recently broke out of their enclosures. Some of them may even still be roaming the streets!
Sunny The Red Panda
Sunny the red panda escaped from her enclosure at Virginia Zoo on Jan. 23. The 19-month-old female red-headed vixen allegedly may have escaped in pursuit of love, said zoo director, Greg Bockheim.
“This is panda breeding season, so the animals may become a bit more agitated.”
Police and zoo workers attempted to track Sunny down using a geothermal camera, and people living near the zoo were asked to keep an eye out for her. Red pandas are not considered aggressive animals, though folks have been warned not to try to touch, feed, or capture Sunny. At the time this article was written, Sunny was still on the loose.
Ollie The Bobcat
Ollie, a 25-pound female bobcat, recently escaped from Washington’s National Zoo. She has been sighted and officials have received several calls from the public about the large feline possibly roaming through nearby parks.
Ollie escaped her enclosure through a small opening in a mesh net around the area. She climbed and crawled through the hole, making a swift break for freedom.
Officials warned locals that bobcats are not like house cats and should not be approached, though Ollie herself has not be said to be aggressive and is most likely shying away from the public. Ollie has since been found.
Thor The White Fox
Having only three legs did not stop Thor the white fox from taking advantage of the opportunity to take a stroll through the nearby neighborhood.
A resident at Hoo Farm Animal Kingdom, Thor escaped his enclosure after a branch fell on it and provided an easy way to escape. He jumped nearly eight feet onto the branch, hid for awhile, and then went wandering through the woods, where he was eventually caught.
Oscar The Bengal Tiger
Oscar, a Bengal tiger, recently escaped from a Swedish circus that was touring Monreale, Italy. Oscar roamed the streets for several hours, inciting panic from locals.
Police and circus trainers were eventually able to get Oscar into a cage and transport him back to the circus. It’s a mystery as to how the large cat escaped.
Inky the octopus
And last but not least, who could forget Inky the octopus?
Inky the octopus escaped from the National Aquarium of New Zealand last year and was an international star. The octopus broke out of his enclosure by climbing through a small gap at the top of his tank. He then eased across the floor, sliding into a narrow drain hole measuring six inches in diameter, before finding freedom in the sea. The 164-foot-long drainpipe dropped the octopus into Hawke’s Bay.
We hope Inky is still out there enjoying his life in the sea, sharing stories of his amazing victory with the other octopi.
Featured image via DailyAnimalFwd
