Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens analyzing policy after brief elephant escape

Jacksonville, FL — The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is reviewing if any changes need to be made in their policies and procedures, after an elephant was able to briefly escape its enclosure this weekend.

Ali the African elephant got out after a keeper left a gate open on his enclosure, according to the Zoo. He remained in an isolated area and stopped to munch from some small trees, at which point keepers were able to use treats and verbal commands to get him back in to his area.

Zoo Deputy Director for Animal Care and Conservation Dan Maloney says this appears to have been a straightforward and isolate incident of a keeper not paying attention. As such, they have had all elephant keepers buddy up, for now, to ensure they’re looking out for each other and no similar lapse occurs. Maloney says they are analyzing whether there is any flaw in their practices, although he says that doesn’t appear to be the case here.

“We always try to learn from whatever mistake is made, and try to see if there’s any applications in other areas,” he says.

WOKV asked about any prior escape incidents at the Zoo, and Maloney says he’s only aware of two. One, dating back to around 2007, involved Ali as well. In another incident a few years later, a rhino briefly escaped. In all three incidents, Maloney says no Zoo guests, staff, or animals were harmed.

“This is a very infrequent occurrence for us at the Zoo,” he says.

This incident has been reported to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. FWC says Zoos are required to report escapes of captive wildlife, and their investigators are looking in to this. We are working to get their report on this investigation and any prior incidents.

The Zoo is required by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to perform four drills each year, according to Maloney, although those can range from escapes to venomous snake bites to customer illness and other areas. The Zoo says the staff performed well in safely securing Ali back in his enclosure.

Ali has been at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens since 1997, and was previously at Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch. Maloney describes Ali as “good natured” and “even tempered”, and the elephant shares his habitat with two older female elephants named Sheena and Thandi. He is believed to be around 28-years-old.