Two badgers escape from Illinois zoo

Oct. 11 (UPI) -- Officials at an Illinois zoo are warning members of the public to steer clear of two badgers that escaped from their enclosures at the facility.

The Niabi Zoo said the North American badgers were found to have escaped from their enclosures at the Coal Valley facility's Biodiversity Hall on Oct. 4, but the escape was not revealed to the public until Wednesday.

The zoo is asking members of the public not to approach the badgers if they are spotted and witnesses are encouraged to instead call the zoo.

"We're confident the two badgers will be recovered," zoo director Lee Jackson said in a statement. "Badgers will only behave aggressively if cornered, so we ask that no one attempts to capture a badger."