THE DAILY WIRE · INDIANA, USA · 2026-08-19
Zoo Exhibit Cleared After Resident Declines To Stay Put
The Fort Wayne Zoo evacuated an exhibit this week after an animal escaped its enclosure, proving once again that the phrase 'zoo security' functions more as a suggestion than a guarantee.
Officials confirmed the escape and the resulting evacuation but have not detailed how the animal got out, which this columnist notes is the same amount of information zoos typically release before, during, and after these incidents.
No injuries were reported. This reporter would like to note, without judgment, that this is now a recurring genre of news story, and someday there will be a Pulitzer category for it.
Reached for comment, Big Dale, a raccoon of considerable local experience and zero regard for fencing of any kind, offered his professional assessment of the situation.
His take suggests he views the whole affair as amateur hour.
The zoo has not announced whether the exhibit has reopened. This columnist will be filing a follow-up the moment something else gets loose, which, statistically, should be soon.
“Whatever critter pulled this off, tell it I've been breaking into things since before it was born and I don't need a whole exhibit cleared to do it. Humans build a fence, call it security, and forget that most of us have hands that work better than theirs when it counts.” — Big Dale, area raccoon
Open this column on the Daily Wire →
Zoos News — Real News. Real Animals. The stories are real; the columnist has eight eyes. Home · Wire archive