The Dallas zoo was closed on Friday as staff searched for a clouded leopard that escaped its enclosure.
The zoo issued a “code blue”, signaling a non-dangerous animal was not in its habitat.
In a statement, the zoo said: “One of our clouded leopards was not in its habitat when the team arrived this morning and is unaccounted for at this time … Given the nature of these animals, we believe the animal is still on grounds and hiding.”
The big cat, named Nova, is between three and four years old and weighs around 25lbs, the zoo said. One of two clouded leopards at the zoo, she and her sister, Luna, were born in Houston and arrived in Dallas in 2021.
The Dallas zoo executive vice-president, Harrison Edell, said it was likely the leopard had retreated to the trees after escaping through a tear in the mesh of her enclosure.
The winter season would provide an advantage to searchers, Edell said, since there is less tree cover at this time of year.
Edell told reporters Nova “does not pose a danger to humans”.
Nevertheless, the zoo urged locals not to approach the animal if they came across it. Instead, they were asked to provide a photo and to message the zoo on social media.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies clouded leopards as a vulnerable species, particularly vulnerable to poaching.
According to the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, clouded leopards primarily come from southern and eastern Asia. They typically reside in forest-like environments and are considered to to be nocturnal. They are carnivores, with a diet consisting of smaller animals like birds and rodents.
Dallas police were at the zoo on Friday, assisting with the search.
