Escaped red panda found hiding in foliage inside zoo

July 24 (UPI) -- The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio said the red panda that escaped from her enclosure was located inside the zoo and safely recaptured.

The zoo said the 2-year-old female red panda, named Kora, was spotted about 4:43 p.m. Thursday by two guests who noticed movement in the foliage between the rhino habitat and the pachyderm building in the Asia Quest area of the zoo.

Kora, who escaped from the red panda habitat Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning, fled up a tree when zoo employees arrived.

Zookeepers attempted to lure the red panda back to the ground using treats and her two newborn cubs.

"While she was attentive to their sounds and moved toward them, she remained in the tree just above the rooftop of the Pachyderm Building," the zoo said in a Facebook post.

Zoo personnel eventually decided to tranquilize Kora for her own safety, and she ended up falling about 10 feet into the response team's safety net.

The zoo's Animal Health Center gave Kora a check-up and determined she was not ill or injured. The zoo said she would be reunited with her cubs once the tranquilizer wears off.

"Her care team will continue their overnight watch to ensure they continue to do well, and red panda father, General Tso, will have the opportunity to join them in the morning," the zoo said.