Escaped Orangutan Captured at Busch Gardens in Tampa
Video posted to Twitter shows the orangutan atop a tree as a crowd looks on.
— -- An orangutan that got loose at Tampa Bay's Busch Gardens amusement park after it escaped its enclosure today has been captured, park officials said.
The orangutan was tranquilized with a dart, said Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesperson Gary Morse. It has been returned to its cage and is doing okay, Morse said.
It was not immediately clear how long the orangutan was at large. The commission is on the scene and investigating how it managed to escape.
Video posted to social media shows a crowd looking on as the orangutan sits atop a tree.
In another video, a man behind the camera asks if the orangutan can "destroy" them if it "wanted to."
Park-goers were "erratic," the Instagram user wrote, using the hashtag #NoOneKnewWhatToDo.
The park remained open as officials worked to recover the orangutan. In a statement, Busch Gardens said it safely moved guests out of the Stanleyville area, the African-themed section of the park.
"The animal care team responded immediately and the animal is back safely and securely in the habitat without incident," Busch Gardens said. "The safety of our guests, employees and animals is our number one priority."
