After a jaguar escaped its exhibit early Saturday and killed six other animals, closing Audubon Zoo to visitors for the day, the zoo will reopen today (Sunday, July 15) but keep the jaguar area off-limits to the public, our partners at WWL-TV reported.
Audubon officials say the roof of the jaguar exhibit may have been “compromised,” allowing 3-year-old male jaguar Valerio to escape early Saturday before opening, WWL-TV reported. He killed four alpacas, an emu and a fox, and injured three other animals, before zookeepers tranquilized him and returned to a secure exhibit.
Valerio will not be euthanized under any circumstances, Audubon officials told WWL, but his area will remain closed until the repairs are complete.
