DURHAM — Chaos ensues as the adored rare spotted leopard allegedly escaped at Durham Zoo last night after 9 p.m.
Fluffy, the 10-year-old Romanian spotted leopard, was missing from her cage this morning. There were no clues indicating how she escaped.
“Everything about her cage seemed normal,” said Gerry Durrell, the director of the zoo at a press conference. “The door was shut and did not appear to have been tampered with, and the fencing was unbroken”.
The search for Fluffy has intensified. Close to the zoo are residential neighborhoods and an elementary school. Police Chief William Blair said it is imperative Fluffy be found before kids get out at 3 p.m.
“It could be a very messy night,” he said. “These cats are nearly impossible to find in the dark – they can see everything, and we are blind”.
The search for Fluffy began at 7:30 a.m. on zoo grounds when she was noticed missing during feeding. So far, there have been no signs relating to her disappearance.
At the conference, Durrell appeared distraught as he choked back tears. “We are doing everything we can to find her and bring her back,” he said. “We love that cat, and we don’t want to lose her”. Blair said that if found and Fluffy cannot be tamed with a tranquilizer gun, the police force have authorization to shoot to kill.
Local police have enlisted the help of New Hampshire State Police and the state wildlife department in the search.
In addition, five helicopters with infrared sensors will be supplied by the National Guard, said Blair.
“We’re gonna find this cat if it kills us,” said Blair.
Fluffy is an incredibly rare animal – one of only five left in existence. She was a gift from Durham’s sister city in Romania, Durhamvoska. She was scheduled to be flown to China next month to mate with a male spotted leopard.
Fluffy, the 10-year-old Romanian spotted leopard, was missing from her cage this morning. There were no clues indicating how she escaped.
“Everything about her cage seemed normal,” said Gerry Durrell, the director of the zoo at a press conference. “The door was shut and did not appear to have been tampered with, and the fencing was unbroken”.
The search for Fluffy has intensified. Close to the zoo are residential neighborhoods and an elementary school. Police Chief William Blair said it is imperative Fluffy be found before kids get out at 3 p.m.
“It could be a very messy night,” he said. “These cats are nearly impossible to find in the dark – they can see everything, and we are blind”.
The search for Fluffy began at 7:30 a.m. on zoo grounds when she was noticed missing during feeding. So far, there have been no signs relating to her disappearance.
At the conference, Durrell appeared distraught as he choked back tears. “We are doing everything we can to find her and bring her back,” he said. “We love that cat, and we don’t want to lose her”. Blair said that if found and Fluffy cannot be tamed with a tranquilizer gun, the police force have authorization to shoot to kill.
Local police have enlisted the help of New Hampshire State Police and the state wildlife department in the search.
In addition, five helicopters with infrared sensors will be supplied by the National Guard, said Blair.
“We’re gonna find this cat if it kills us,” said Blair.
Fluffy is an incredibly rare animal – one of only five left in existence. She was a gift from Durham’s sister city in Romania, Durhamvoska. She was scheduled to be flown to China next month to mate with a male spotted leopard.
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