A sacred baboon escaped early Wednesday morning from the Sancti Spíritus zoo, triggering an unprecedented mobilization that included the intervention of special forces, agents from the Ministry of the Interior (Minint), and veterinary specialists.
The operation concluded successfully after four hours of intense searching and coordination, according to Radio Sancti Spíritus.
The protagonist of the escape was Víctor, an adult specimen of the species Papio hamadryas, known for its strength and remarkable intelligence.
According to the zoo director, Tahimí Meneses Venegas, the animal was able to force the lock of its cage, a gesture it had performed before, although in previous instances, it had only demonstrated the ability to do so without attempting to escape.
"Víctor is a very observant baboon. There were times when he would break the lock but stay inside, as if showing us that he knew how to do it. This time, he decided to go out," Meneses explained.
As soon as her absence was detected, an emergency protocol was activated, which involved evacuating the area adjacent to the park and alerting local authorities.
The neighboring neighborhood, a densely populated area bordering the zoo, was placed under surveillance.
"Zoos shouldn't have neighbors so close, but that's how it is here," acknowledged the director, emphasizing the need to review the safety conditions of the surrounding area.
When the first teams managed to locate Víctor, the animal was perched on the wall of an outdoor bathroom in the neighboring settlement, observing silently
"He was calm, breathing, as if calculating," Meneses described.
At that moment, combined forces from the Minint and the zoo veterinarian intervened, who attempted to sedate it with anesthetic darts.
After three failed shots, a fourth dart managed to stun him partially, allowing for a safe approach without risk to anyone.
Adalberto Piloto Cepero, a veterinary technician who had cared for the animal for three years, ran to the location from Villa Clara.
"When I arrived, there were already members of Minint and workers from the center trying to capture him. I spoke to him, and he immediately calmed down," he recounted.
According to Piloto, the relationship between the two was key to preventing a tragedy: “For how aggressive their species is, it has always been docile with me. It recognizes me.”
That connection proved decisive. While Víctor calmed down upon hearing his caregiver's voice, the rescuers managed to cover him with a net and secure him without having to use any force.
They led him back to his enclosure calmly and without causing him any harm.
The rescue operation lasted more than four hours and ended without any harm to humans or animals, something that the authorities described as an "exemplary result" given the danger posed by the species.
The success of the procedure, however, highlighted a vulnerability in the zoo's security measures.
In an immediate response, the park management ordered the reinforcement of the locks and the installation of protective bells over the padlocks to prevent rain and animal handling from damaging them.
"It will not be just for Víctor; it will protect all species," Meneses assured.
The Papio hamadryas, also known as the sacred baboon, originates from the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. It is a socially hierarchical species, known for its great strength and dominant temperament.
In the espirituano zoo, Víctor is the only carnivorous primate in the enclosure, which implies stricter management measures.
"The director recalled, 'Years ago, her grandfather bit a child, and they had to amputate his hand.'"
"That's why we take extra precautions and always keep the same staff with each animal," he emphasized.
The episode also reopened the debate about the proximity of the zoo to the La Ford neighborhood, an old development that was built next to the facilities.
The noise, the constant traffic, and now the escape of a primate have once again highlighted the need to improve coexistence between captive wildlife and the community.
Víctor is now in his cage, stable and under observation. His brief nocturnal adventure has turned into a story that the people of Sancti Spíritus will not easily forget: that of an intelligent baboon who, unwittingly, compelled a review of security protocols and reminded everyone that, even in captivity, nature continues to find its way.
As strange as it may seem, this is not the first time an incident like this has occurred in Cuba. In 2024, images of the capture of the monkey that escaped from the zoo in Caibarién, in the province of Villa Clara, circulated online, involving Red Berets from the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) along with dogs.
That same month, a monkey escaped this Thursday from the Zoological Garden of Havana, located on 26th Avenue in Vedado.
In a video that circulated, a woman was heard saying: "Don't touch it, move away, move away", while a group of people waited with luggage next to the nearby sidewalk.
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