Elderly anteater missing from Taipei Zoo; public asked to report any sightings

Taipei, May 20 (CNA) Taipei Zoo said Wednesday that it was searching for a lesser anteater that escaped from its enclosure earlier in the week, and the public should notify the zoo if they spot the nearly 12-year-old animal.

The lesser anteater named "Blackie" (黑妞) has not been seen since Monday, the zoo said, adding that 65 staff members have been searching for the aged animal.

On Tuesday, after zookeepers realized at about 9 a.m. that Blackie was missing from both her outdoor or indoor enclosures, they examined the surveillance camera footage, which showed that she entered the outdoor enclosure at around 6:15 p.m. on Monday, the zoo said.

The lesser anteater was last seen around 6:55 p.m. on Monday near a visitor walkway in a bromeliad garden, the zoo added.

Zookeepers have speculated that a banana tree inside the enclosure may have snapped under Blackie's weight while she was climbing, creating a "bridge" to an adjacent artificial rock formation, allowing her to escape.

The zoo said its outdoor areas are designed to mimic natural habitats, encourage diverse animal behaviors, and provide shade, but they can occasionally allow unexpected escape routes.

At 11 years and 10 months old, Blackie is an elderly lesser anteater, a species that has a typical lifespan of nine to ten years in the wild, the zoo said.

Blackie is about 50 to 60 centimeters long, with cream-yellow fur and a prehensile tail, the zoo said, adding that she is timid and non-aggressive toward humans.

Lesser anteaters are nocturnal and tend to hide in dense vegetation during the day, which makes the search efforts difficult, the zoo said.

So far, it said, the search has been focused on the rainforest zone, nearby trails, and hillsides around the giant panda exhibit.

To aid the search, the zoo said, it has also installed six automated cameras and four trap cages in the area.

Taipei Zoo said visitors who spot Blackie should not approach or try to capture her but instead should notify its staff or call the zoo's visitor service hotline.