Mesh opening allowed leopard to escape Utah zoo enclosure
Hogle Zoo spokeswoman Erica Hansen said Wednesday that a security team investigating the escape found a trail of leopard hair around the 6-inch-by-6-inch opening built into the enclosure's mesh.
The animal left visible claw marks on the wooden perch as she hung on briefly before the dart took full effect, but after she was sedated she was transported quickly to a back room.
While the Utah leopard was quickly contained, if the animal had actively threatened people zoo officials would have used lethal force, Carpenter said.
The federal agency said it's aware of the incident and plans to look into whether the zoo violated any part of the Animal Welfare Act.