French zoo's red panda recaptured after about a week on the loose

Nov. 25 (UPI) -- Officials at a zoo in France said a red panda was captured in a resident's garden a little more than a week after escaping from its enclosure.

The Saint-Martin-la-Plaine Zoo said keepers responded Saturday to a St. Martin home where a resident reported spotting the missing red panda perched in a tree.

The zookeepers were able to net the male panda and they said he appears to be in good health aside from a small amount of lost weight.

The red panda will be kept under observation by veterinarians for a few days before returning to the animal's normal routine, officials said.

The animal escaped late Nov. 14 or early Nov. 15 when snowfall caused branches to fall into the enclosure, giving him the means to climb out.