(Image: Marwell Zoo)
A binturong from Marwell Zoo has sparked a major response after escaping its enclosure and climbing into a tree just metres from its home.
The drama unfolded on Friday afternoon, August 14, when three-year-old male binturong named Hanoi managed to climb out of his habitat in the zoo's Life Among the Trees area.
One eyewitness told the Echo she was watching the enclosure when the animal suddenly made a break for it.
She said: "I was at the zoo with my aunt, uncle and cousin and we were watching the animals.
"That was when one of the resident binturongs made a sudden dash out of its enclosure.
"I was really shocked - my cousin ran to alert a member of staff and they seemed as shocked as we were."
Binturongs are commonly known as bearcats for their appearance, though it is neither a bear or a cat.
The escape prompted an immediate response from zoo staff, with visitors cleared from the area while keepers worked to secure Hanoi.
The witness said: "The animal managed to get loose from its usual habitat - the staff were talking frantically over the radio to each other.
"Almost the entire keeper team rushed to the scene to handle the situation. For the safety of the public and to keep the area quiet for the animal, staff quickly evacuated visitors from the immediate area."
Three-year-old binturong, Hanoi
(Image: Marwell Zoo)
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Marwell Zoo said its emergency procedures were immediately put into action and a secure perimeter was established.
A spokesperson said: "On Friday afternoon one of our binturong managed to climb up a tree immediately outside his habitat in Life Among the Trees.
"Our emergency procedures were straight away put in place, which included temporarily closing that particular area to our visitors, and our keepers setting up a secure perimeter."
Despite the dramatic escape, Hanoi did not travel far from his enclosure.
The spokesperson said: "The situation was quickly resolved and the binturong – Hanoi, a three-year-old male – didn’t move more than a few metres from his home."
The animal eventually returned to his habitat by himself.
Marwell added: "The binturong, one of two at the zoo, returned by himself safely and calmly after two hours."
The incident comes months after Marwell's capybara Samba escaped in March and remains missing, with the zoo continuing its search.