A zoo in Thailand used a mascot version of its most famous resident, Moo Deng the pygmy hippo, for a drill testing zookeepers’ response to an animal escape.
The drill at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo featured a staff member in a Moo Deng mascot costume staging an “escape” from an enclosure and going on a rampage through the publicly accessible areas of the zoo.
“The control team proceeded to close off the area and bring the hippo back into the pen safely,” the zoo said on social media. “During the rehearsal, there was a rehearsal of a hippo attacking one staff member, resulting in minor injuries. The zoo’s first aid unit immediately provided assistance and sent the patron to the hospital.”
The drill also involved veterinarians simulating the process of tranquilizing the faux-Moo Deng and gave the “hippo” a health examination before being returned to the pen.
The real Moo Deng, who celebrated her first birthday earlier this month, was safely in her enclosure during the drill.
