Amur tigress that escaped from enclosure found in Mykolaiv: details of search operation

Causes of escape and start of search

Head of Mykolaiv Zoo Volodymyr Topchyi explained that the four-month-old Amur tigress was able to get out into the wild due to a technical flaw in the enclosure. According to him, there was an excessive gap between the bars in the cage ceiling, which allowed the animal to escape outside.

Staff learned of the cub's disappearance in the morning. A search operation was immediately launched. The park area was divided into separate sectors, and approximately 40 people participated in the search. A hunter with dogs was brought in to locate the animal, but this method proved ineffective.

Use of special equipment

Since standard methods yielded no results, the search continued using a thermal imaging camera. At approximately 22:00 at night, the tigress voluntarily approached the search team. She appeared on one of the zoo paths, near the enclosure where the Far Eastern leopard is kept.

However, it was not possible to restrain the animal on the first attempt. To safely return the tiger cub to the enclosure, a veterinarian used a special tranquilliser gun. After this, the animal was moved into a transport crate.

Animal's route and further actions

Analysing the tracks left on the zoo territory, staff were able to reconstruct the path the tigress took. She moved along the second floor of the "Island of Animals", left scratches on the windows, and later descended down the wall separating two adjacent enclosures.

The tigress is currently in quarantine with her brother. Zoo management plans to repair the enclosure and change the distance between the bars to avoid similar incidents in the future.