Zoo coy on cat escape

OFFICIALS insist there was no risk to the public when a jaguar escaped its enclosure and attacked a monkey at a Texas zoo, despite not knowing how the big cat got loose.

Abilene Zoo Executive Director Bill Gersonde said staff discovered two-year-old Estrella missing Monday morning before the zoo opened.

Estrella was found soon after atop a neighbouring exhibit holding a spider monkey, which had to be put down.

Gersonde said doors to the jaguar enclosure are secure. He didn’t elaborate.