2,500 evacuated as five chimps escape at zoo in Germany

A five-strong group of clever chimpanzees caused panic at a German zoo after escaping from their enclosure.

The chimps found branches in the pen, which had been left from recent gardening work, and fashioned them into a makeshift ladder to escape their enclosure yesterday.

Around 2,500 people were evacuated from the Hanover Adventure Zoo, and a five-year-old girl was hurt when she was knocked over by the chimpanzees in their bid for freedom.

The little girl was taken to hospital with light head wounds, but was not seriously injured.

The chimps at Hanover Adventure Zoo: Getty

An elderly man also needed medical attention after being locked in the tropical house in 100-degree heat as the chimps roamed outside.

Police surrounded the zoo with orders to shoot any of the chimpanzees if they tried to leave the compound.

But, as zoo spokeswoman Simone Hagenmeyer told ninemsn.com, four out of the five chimps "had a quick look around and then jumped pretty quickly back into their compound."

According to the Daily Mail, she added: "The fifth and oldest chimp went off to visit the head gorilla.

"He was a bit harder to coax back.

"He's getting on a bit so we gave him a ladder to climb back into the enclosure."

Meanwhile, over in Las Vegas, two chimpanzees went on a rampage through the streets after escaping from their owner's back garden.

One was shot and killed, while one was tranquillised after they were said to have been displaying aggressive behaviour.


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