Stork briefly escapes enclosure at Maryland Zoo

Aug. 19 (UPI) -- The Maryland Zoo confirmed a saddle-billed stork escaped from its enclosure at the facility and was recaptured in an adjacent habitat housing rhinos, zebras and ostriches.

The zoo said in a statement that one of the Baltimore facility's two saddle-billed storks glided out of its habitat about 1 p.m. Tuesday and ended up in the adjacent African Watering Hole habitat, which is home to a variety of other animals.

Zoo officials said the Animal Recapture Team was dispatched when staff noticed the stork in the wrong enclosure, and zookeepers escorted the other animals in the enclosure into barns while the recapture effort was underway.

The stork was safely returned to its habitat about 1:45 p.m. The bird never left zoo property or entered any public areas, officials said.