AquaZoo places extra mesh to prevent raccoons from escaping again | Animals

On Monday, March 25, twelve raccoons were brought to the zoo in Leeuwarden. Eleven animals subsequently escaped. Zoo employees found this out a day later.

Four of the escaped raccoons have now returned. The first two raccoons were found that same Tuesday. “One was sleeping in a tree, the other was between bamboo trees,” AquaZoo said at the time Omrop Friesland.

The third raccoon was found during the night from Thursday to Friday. It was stuck in a catch cage. The fourth raccoon was found in a tree on the night of Friday to Saturday. The animal was anesthetized and then returned to the park.

The raccoons in the enclosure are doing well, AquaZoo spokesperson Linda Engels tells NU.nl. The five of them are sitting there now. One raccoon did not participate in the escape attempt.

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The hole through which the animals escaped has now been closed. The enclosure contained concrete rubble with a layer of mesh underneath. “They managed to remove that somehow,” says Engels.

The zoo has added a second layer of mesh to prevent the animals from escaping again. “We assume that the animals will not be able to get through.”

The raccoons are currently staying in a so-called separate facility. This is a separate room that is attached to the permanent residence. “That space is used for animals that have just arrived, for example, so that they can get used to resting. But it is also used when an animal is sick,” Engels explains.

Ultimately, the plan is for the raccoons to be moved to the larger enclosure. It was previously expected that the animals could go there last Friday, but AquaZoo will wait a little longer. “So that they can first get used to it and recover in peace.”

The larger enclosure has been checked again just to be sure, to prevent another escape attempt.

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