Orangutan briefly escapes outdoor habitat at Toronto Zoo

An orangutan got a taste of freedom when it ventured outside a new outdoor habitat at the Toronto Zoo on Thursday, and the area is now closed to guests and media until further notice, the zoo says.

In a news release, the zoo said Kembali, a male orangutan, managed to access an area just outside its new outdoor habitat on Thursday evening. No one was injured and staff captured the animal without incident, the facility says.

Staff cleared guests from the area quickly and returned Kembali to the habitat, the zoo said. The zoo also called Toronto police as a precautionary measure. Police were kept on standby in the zoo's administration parking lot, the zoo said. 

"We are currently reviewing Toronto Zoo video footage from the orangutan habitat to determine how Kembali was able to access this particular area," the zoo said in the release. 

"We are grateful to our Zoo team for their quick actions."

LISTEN | Toronto Zoo's director of wildlife care on Kembali's brief esape: 

Toronto Zoo investigating orangutan’s brief escape

3 months ago

Duration 7:49

The Toronto Zoo says an orangutan briefly escaped its habitat before it was returned without incident Thursday. Zoo officials are appealing to anyone who was in the area to come forward if they have video footage. Metro Morning guest host Jill Dempsey spoke to the zoo's director of wildlife care about the incident.

On its website, the zoo says: "Kembali is a free spirit who finds joy and adventure in every moment. A bundle of energy, he loves swinging high and fast through the exhibit, or hanging upside down and dropping dramatically to the ground."

The zoo, which is AZA accredited, said it prepares for such situations through regular drills.

The zoo continues to investigate the escape.

Any guests who were at the orangutan outdoor habitat during this time, or who may have captured video footage, are urged to to contact the zoo.