Fla. and Calif. orangutans escape cages

LOS ANGELES, May 19 (UPI) -- Two orangutans, one at the Los Angeles Zoo and another at Florida's Busch Gardens, caused a stir by trying to escape their enclosures, officials said.

The Los Angles Zoo's 29-year-old orangutan, Bruno, prompted zoo officials to send about 3,000 patrons to the exits Saturday after he punctured the netting around his enclosure and wandered into an area near his cage, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Zoo workers said they were able to peacefully sedate Burno and prevent him from having contact with the public.

In a separate incident, a female orangutan at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Fla., caused the Jungala exhibit to be closed down Saturday when she scaled the windows of her holding area, The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post reported.

Keepers said they used snacks to persuade the orangutan to go into her cage as patrons were ordered to leave the vicinity. The Post said no patrons came into contact with the simian.