Chimpanzee Escapes Cage at Osaka Zoo; Veterinarian Bitten in Face, Visitors Evacuated

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:15 JST, October 17, 2023 (updated at 12:30 JST)

A chimpanzee escaped from its cage at Osaka Tennoji Zoo on Tuesday morning, forcing the zoo to temporarily close and evacuate all visitors.

According to the Osaka City Fire Department, a male veterinarian in his 40s was injured when the chimpanzee bit him in the face.

The Osaka prefectural police received a call from the zoo at around 10:20 a.m., reporting that a chimpanzee had escaped from a cage but was still in the zoo. A zoo employee located the ape at about 10:35 a.m., and it was shot with a tranquilizer gun at around 10:55 a.m.

As of noon, however, the chimpanzee was still in a tree.

The zoo is located in Tennoji Ward, Osaka, near JR Tennoji Station.