An Unexpected Morning Escape

A 52-year-old Asian elephant named Alice made an unscheduled exit from her enclosure at Albuquerque’s ABQ BioPark Zoo early Sunday morning. The elephant managed to breach steel fencing, wandering onto visitor walkways to snack on nearby plants and trees.

Zoo security discovered Alice at approximately 7:30 a.m., well before the facility was scheduled to open to the public. Despite her brief freedom, the elephant remained calm while grazing on the zoo grounds.

A Peaceful Return to Habitat

Staff members arrived on the scene within 10 minutes of the discovery. Rather than requiring physical intervention or forceful wrangling, the elephant's care team simply called her name.

Due to the strong, trusting bond between Alice and her handlers, she followed instructions and returned to her habitat. The entire process took approximately 90 minutes from the time she was discovered.

Zoo Operations and Future Safety

The City of Albuquerque released a statement confirming that staff executed emergency protocols perfectly. Officials noted that the zoo regularly conducts drills to prepare for such incidents, ensuring that the response went exactly as intended.

While no major operational changes are planned, the zoo is currently working to make the habitat “Alice-proof” to prevent future escapes. The facility opened to the public only 30 minutes behind schedule, following a brief cleanup of the foliage Alice had consumed during her walk.