Dallas police open criminal investigation after clouded leopard escapes from zoo exhibit

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Dallas Zoo officials search for clouded leopard that escaped

The Dallas Zoo is seen from the air by KDFW cameras as officials look for a clouded leopard that is unaccounted for.

After an hours-long search, the clouded leopard that escaped from its Dallas Zoo exhibit was found Friday night. 

Dallas police and zoo officials announced earlier Friday afternoon they believe Nova, the 4-year-old clouded leopard, escaped from an opening in its enclosure that was intentionally cut.

Gregg Hudson, president and CEO of the Dallas Zoo, explained that when staff did a headcount and check of the zoo's exhibits in the morning, they discovered that Nova was missing and that the enclosure had been tampered with.

"We found a suspicious opening in the habitat wall at the front of the exhibit," explained Hudson. "It was clear that this opening was not habitat failure, it wasn't exhibit failure, and it wasn't keeper error."

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A clouded leopard cub runs at the Mulhouse Zoo in eastern France Aug. 28, 2020. (Sebastien Bozon/AFP via Getty Images)

Dallas Police Public Information Officer Warren Mitchell concurred with Hudson's assessment of the situation.

"It is our belief that this was an intentional act, and so we have started a criminal investigation," explained Mitchell. "The fence that it escaped from was intentionally cut."

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The massive search continued for hours until the animal was safely secured near its original habitat. 

"Initial indications are [the clouded leopard] is not injured," a zoo statement explained.

The Dallas Zoo was closed as officials searched for an escaped clouded leopard Friday, Jan. 13, 2023. (KDFW)

According to Mitchell, authorities deployed drones that were calibrated to the heat signature of that particular animal to aid the search. 

"These are very elusive animals. They live in dense forests up in the trees, so it's a very difficult animal to try and find," Hudson explained.

In this undated image provided by the Dallas Zoo, a clouded leopard named Nova rests on a tree limb in an enclosure. (Dallas Zoo via AP)

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According to Dallas police, investigators also found a similar cut at a habitat that enclosed langur monkeys.

"All the langurs were still inside their habitat and did not appear to be harmed, or in any danger. A criminal mischief offense report was made [and] this is an ongoing investigation. It is unknown if the two incidents are related," read the statement.