Zookeeper dresses as white tiger for escape drill

March 15 (UPI) -- A Japanese zoo held an escaped animal training drill featuring a costumed performer mimicking the behavior of a fugitive white tiger.

The Tobu Zoo in Miyashiro Town, Saitama Prefecture, held its annual training drill Thursday with a zookeeper putting his tiger expertise to the test by pretending to be an escaped animal.

Video from the scene shows the zookeeper, wearing a sweatshirt with a tiger's face on the hood, prowling on all fours while other zoo employees put the facility's escaped animal plan into action.

The zoo's team put up net barriers and used simulated tranquilizers to subdue their colleague before securing him with rope and returning him to a secure area.

Zoo chief Masaru Kaminaga said the annual drills are an important training exercise.

"In the event of an emergency, it is important for each person to understand their role and respond accordingly," Kaminaga told NHK.