African wild dog escapes from zoo enclosure

SINGAPORE - An African wild dog escaped from its enclosure on Saturday morning, causing the temporary closure of the Singapore Zoo's main entrance.

A reader told The New Paper that the animal had escaped from its exhibit at about 8.45am when there were already visitors at the zoo.

Wildlife Reserves Singapore, which manages the zoo, said in a statement: "An African Painted Dog (another name for the African wild dog) left its enclosure at approximately 8.50am and keepers activated safety protocols immediately.

"The movement of the animal, which was restricted to Wild Africa and Tropical Crops zones, was tracked throughout the incident.

"By 9.20am the animal was rounded up by the keepers and confined. No visitor, staff or animals were hurt in the incident."

BACK AWAY SLOWLY

If members of the public ever find themselves encountering an escaped animal, Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) said: "It is important to remain calm and slowly back away.

"Do not make any sudden movements, noise or run away."

About the African wild dog

There are approximately 6,000 African wild dogs left in the wild, making it an endangered species.

They are cooperative hunters and hunt in a pack of six to 20, killing medium-sized animals like antelopes.

They have a high level of endurance and do not sneak up on their prey. Instead, they chase them till they tire out.

No two wild dogs are marked exactly the same.

Both males and females help to babysit the puppies.

This article was first published on Sep 16, 2014.
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