Zoo keepers catch rare baboon popular over repeat escapes

October 14th, 2009 • Related • Filed Under

The Prague Daily Monitor

Brno, (CTK) – The Brno zoo keepers Tuesday finally managed to catch Heiko, a male baboon that became popular over his repeat escapes, after his five days on the run, zoo spokesman Pavel Hrazdira told CTK.

The keepers detected Heiko in a remote part of the zoo. They tranquilised him by a narcotic shot.

The monkey is all right, said Hrazdira.

Heiko will undergo a thorough medical examination now. He is unlikely to reunite with his pack in its enclosure which the rare gelada baboons share with barbary sheep.

The run will have to be rearranged to prevent Heiko from escaping again.

Heiko escaped last Thursday when the keepers entered his enclosure in order to treat the sheep. They carried a narcotic gun which scared Heiko so much that he climbed over the electric fence despite of being hit by the current, and made his getaway.

Tens of people launched the search for him. He was soon detected but all attempts to tranquilise or lure him into a trap failed.

For the first time Heiko escaped in September 2007 after he found out that the electric fence is without the current as a result of a technical default.

He then escaped to a nearby golf area where he made friends with golf players, begging for biscuits. He was caught after two days.

The zoo then improved the fence to prevent his further escape, but the latest events showed the measure had been insufficient.