An Andean bear named Ben was able to maneuver out of his enclosure at the St. Louis Zoo on Thursday for the second time this month.
The 4-year-old bear, described as “curious” and “incredibly strong,” was was able to break through the stainless steel clips, which had been added to his habitat earlier this month after his first escape, NBC News reports.
Roughly 50 minutes after being reported missing, Ben was found in the zoo’s River’s Edge area. He was safely tranquilized and returned to his indoor holding area until further notice.
“Getting out of a habitat once? Curious. Getting out a second time through the stainless steel? He’s not only curious but incredibly strong and adventurous,” said Billy Brennan, Director of Public Relations and Government Affairs for the St. Louis Zoo, in a statement to the Daily News.
Brennan says the zoo is now coordinating with internal and external parties, such as the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, to ensure Ben does not escape a third time.
For the time being, Ben will remain in his “behind-the-scenes area,” which is temperature-controlled and not open to the public. While there, the zoo is administering Ben his proper dietary food and giving him his enrichment time.
“He’s good. He’s doing very well,” said Brennan. “We’re making sure he is a happy bear.”
Upon his escape, guests and staff members were moved indoors and no one is said to have been harmed.
Andean bears are native to the Andes-Amazon mountain region, and estimates suggest that fewer than 18,000 of them now survive in the wild, reports the Wildlife Conservation Society.