At the city zoo this Sunday morning, Alice, a 52-year-old Asian elephant, slipped through a compromised section of her habitat and took a calm stroll through a public area before returning to her enclosure, zoo staff said. Security video captured the walk at 7: 20 a. m. ET and the City of Albuquerque indicated Alice was found briefly outside her primary habitat at approximately 7: 30 a. m. ET. Staff executed trained recall procedures and secured the area, with officials stressing that no staff or guests were harmed and Alice is unharmed.
Security video and path of escape
Security video shows Alice moving out of the water pond section of her habitat through an opening in a welded pillar gate that was under repair, then trampling a bamboo fence to reach Main Street. The video frames show her sniffing signage and stopping by trees; staff cleared paths of debris after she ate nearby plants and trees. The footage and on-site checks established the precise route and the exact breach point that allowed the elephant to leave the primary enclosure.
Zoo response and repairs
Zoo Security located Alice and animal care staff arrived on site within 10 minutes, carrying out the emergency response protocol the BioPark trains routinely. Brandon Gibson, director of the BioPark, said, “The 8, 000-pound elephant somehow squeezed through this opening, knocking down this fence, just to take a stroll down Main Street. She’s over 8, 000 pounds. She’s definitely able to use some force. ” Gibson added that the compromised section had not been updated in nearly 20 years and that it has been repaired and reinforced with additional pillars and steel.
The City of Albuquerque confirmed the zoo delayed opening briefly while staff cleared debris and repaired the damaged fencing, and that the affected area will remain closed during reinforcement work. Officials noted that the BioPark routinely runs drills and that the elephant care team used a recall method Alice is trained to respond to, allowing staff to call her back calmly and safely.
What this means and what’s next
staff continues to inspect other habitats for potential weak points and that modernization work on perimeter containment is underway using Gross Receipts Tax funds. The BioPark is monitoring the reinforced area daily and will keep Alice under close observation for any signs of change in behavior; staff reported her behavior returned to normal the day after the incident. The city and BioPark emphasized safety measures and pledged continued assessments to prevent repeat breaches at the zoo.
