Clouded leopard which escaped from Sabah wildlife park caught

KOTA KINABALU: A clouded leopard which escaped from its enclosure at the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park on Sunday morning (Aug 23) has been caught by park staff.

Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga confirmed that the animal was secured using a tranquilliser at around 8.45pm.

This comes after park rangers found it difficult to get to the clouded leopard when it escaped due to the foliage surrounding the park.

The park – which is about a 45-minute drive from Kota Kinabalu – had issued a memo to neighbouring villages about the disappearance of the animal, which was last seen at about 7.30am.

Asked how they suspected the animal to have escaped, Tuuga said that it somehow breached the chain link fencing of the enclosure.

“We still do not know how it did it,” he told The Star, adding that the animal is being treated and was found to be in good condition.