Wolf captured after escaping enclosure at zoo in western Tokyo, visitors flee to safety

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According to the Tama Zoological Park in Hino, Japan, a zoo attendant spotted the wolf on a public pathway.

According to the Tama Zoological Park in Hino, Japan, a zoo attendant spotted the wolf on a public pathway.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: PEXELS

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TOKYO – A zoo in western Tokyo was forced to close for much of Dec 28 after a wolf escaped from its enclosure, though the facility operator confirmed it had been recaptured inside the park later in the day.

According to the Tama Zoological Park in Hino, a zoo attendant spotted the wolf on a public pathway after the facility’s opening time of 9.30am.

The European wolf was recaptured at around 2.20pm after being located in a bushy area.

Visitors were forced to flee to safety inside buildings and other areas. No injuries have been reported.

The zoo initially stopped allowing visitors to enter for safety reasons, but later announced it would not reopen on Dec 28.

Tama Zoological Park, which opened in 1958, houses some 260 species from inside Japan and overseas, according to its website. KYODO NEWS

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