Escaped polar bear has been contained, park confirms
Credit: Jeff McCurry
CINCINNATI, Ohio - The Cincinnati Zoo went into lockdown Wednesday when a female polar bear escaped an enclosed area.
Berit, a polar bear that escaped her containment area Wednesday morning, has been contained, the zoo said on Facebook and Twitter. Visitors were moved indoors as a safety precaution.
The zoo wrote in a Facebook post, "Our female polar bear Berit breached a behind the scenes containment area."
The zoo clarified that she "was never loose in the zoo," adding that "the situation is ongoing but under control. There is no risk to staff or visitors in the park."
Less than two hours after updating the public via social media about the polar bear situation, the Cincinnati Zoo confirmed that it had reopened, and that the "polar bears are contained and unharmed."