Jackals escape from enclosure in Delhi zoo; search underway

New Delhi, Nov 22 (PTI) A few jackals escaped from their enclosure at Delhi's National Zoological Park on Saturday morning, prompting authorities to launch a search operation in the forested area behind the animal exhibits, according to an official.

Meanwhile, calls and messages to the Administration Department of Delhi zoo went unanswered, and there was no immediate response on the incident.

The breach, reported on the Saturday morning, has once again brought the zoo's preparedness and animal management under scrutiny.

An official privy to the matter said, the jackals slipped out from the rear side of the enclosure, which opens into a dense forest patch forming the zoo's outer boundary.

There was no threat to visitors, who remained unaware of the situation, he added.

He said the escaped jackals are suspected to have taken advantage of a gap in the fencing at the back of the enclosure. Zoo teams have been deployed across the forested area to locate and secure them.

The jackal enclosure is surrounded by high wire mesh and includes burrows, shaded areas, and a shelter structure. The section where the breach occurred is now being examined to determine how the animals managed to get through, the official added.

Another official said initial assessments suggest the jackals have not moved towards the visitors' pathway and are likely still within the zoo premises. PTI NSM ARB ARB ARB