One of the four raccoons that went missing from a zoo located on the Isle of Wight has been located and is reportedly “no worse for wear”.
Four female raccoons fled their enclosure at Amazon World Zoo Park in Sandown on Friday morning.
One was captured around 11 pm that same evening in Newchurch, in proximity to the zoo, while two others have been sighted within the zoo’s premises but remain elusive.
Personnel at the facility worked throughout the night utilizing tracking dogs and drones; however, they indicated that they have had to reduce the scale of their search efforts.
Rachel Patrick, a head keeper at the zoo, remarked: “The raccoon we retrieved last night seems to be just fine, is eating, and appears calm.
The zoo shared a photo of one of the missing animals. Pic: PA
“We are still in search of three females. (Two) were last detected at 7 am on the premises of the zoo, so we remain hopeful that they are still around.
“We have yet to observe the third one ourselves.”
She requested that members of the public maintain alertness.
“Please check your gardens, trees, hedgerows, and sheds as if you were searching for a lost feline or canine.
“Kindly refrain from approaching the animals. They are generally not aggressive, but they may be frightened.”
The zoo has urged anyone who encounters the raccoons to capture a photograph if it is safe to do so and to report any sightings to the raccoon hotline via phone, message, or WhatsApp at 07956 194981.
