A highschool scholar has been rescued from the Adelaide Zoo’s large panda enclosure after he entered the world to retrieve his cellphone.
The enclosure was locked down for greater than half an hour on Monday after the teenage boy jumped an electrified wire fence round noon.
The boy had been filming the pandas on his cellphone when he dropped it.
Adelaide Zoo workers sprung shortly into motion to rescue the scholar.
The 2 resident large pandas, Wang Wang and Fu Ni, weren’t disturbed throughout the ordeal.
Adelaide Zoo’s panda enclosure is protected by an electrified wire, which the boy touched whereas going to retrieve his cellphone. Image: Zoos SA
‘I feel Wang Wang slept via your complete time, however my workers actually did not,’
Zoos SA chief govt Elaine Bensted stated.
‘Workers have been capable of swap off the recent wires that we shield the animal space with and use a ladder to retrieve the scholar.
‘(The boy) did report some tingling in his fingers as a result of he did contact the recent wire, however we’re happy to say it seems nothing greater than that.’
The scholar was taken for a medical check-up, whereas the enclosure reopened to the general public early on Monday afternoon.
The incident was the primary of its variety on the Adelaide Zoo enclosure because it opened in 2009.
Large pandas Wang Wang and Fu Ni have resided on the enclosure since its opening 12 months, and have been concerned in a breeding program in current instances.
Large panda Wang Wang was happily having fun with a kip on the time of the incident. Image: Zoos SA
Zoos SA final Friday stated Fu Ni had been displaying indicators of being pregnant following synthetic insemination, however workers wouldn’t be capable of affirm whether or not the zoo’s first panda cub was on the way in which till mid-2023.
Ms Bensted informed Dawn the 2 pandas weren’t thought of aggressive, however their massive dimension, enamel and claws meant they nonetheless posed a serious security threat to any intruders.
‘(Wang Wang) was by no means seen via the entire exercise, I feel most likely behind a bush maybe having a pleasant afternoon snooze, however actually was by no means seen and we do not assume impacted in any respect,’ she stated.
‘We might count on that if feeling threatened, they’d most likely retreat, however we do take security extremely significantly and also you simply by no means understand how an animal will react if threatened.’
She praised the zoo’s ‘wonderful workers’ for his or her swift response.
Ms Bensted stated Adelaide Zoo would full a ‘full debrief’ and evaluation its security protocols.
‘We’re more than happy that the incident handed with none affect on both the scholar or the pandas,’ she stated.
