Leopard missing from Durham Zoo

The Durham Zoo is in a state of emergency as its Romanian spotted leopard has gone missing. The State Police, Wildlife Department, and National Guard have been dispatched to locate the leopard.
Patrons at the zoo were rushed out as Fluffy, the 10-yeat-old Romanian spotted leopard was discovered to be missing from its cage earlier today. Mixed emotions were stirring due to the sudden evacuation of the zoo.
“I want my money back, and then I’m never coming back here again,” shouts an angry patron. “This place is out of control.”
A press conference was held in the zoo’s auditorium after the evacuation. Gerry Durrell, the director of the zoo, spoke on the issue at hand.
“We have no idea what time Fluffy escaped or where she went,” Durrell said. “We are searching the grounds of the zoo but so far we haven’t a clue.”
According to Durrell, Fluffy was last seen in her cage when the zoo closed last night. At the time, everything seemed normal. The animal’s cage is equipped with an alarm, which did not sound during the night.
Kitty Smith, the zoo’s chief biologist, spoke during the press conference as well. According to Smith, Fluffy is a 10-year-old Romanian spotted leopard, a species driven to the brink of extinction in Romania because of their appetite for young children.
The leopard is one of only five in existence, and the only female left. Fluffy was to be flown to China next month to mate with a male spotted leopard owned by the Chinese government.
According to smith, the animal is gentle until it is provoked or threatened.
“Fluffy is a wonderful, warm, gentle cat who has never hurt anyone,” she said. “But if cornered, or encountered on a dark night, their defense is to kill, and to kill quickly.”
Police are quickly dispatching all resources possible to find the leopard. Police Chief William Blair commented on the outline of the search.
“We will first search every inch of this zoo,” Blair said. “If possible, Fluffy will be shot with a tranquilizer gun. But if necessary, we will shoot to kill.”
If the animal is not found on zoo grounds the search will extend to the neighborhood, an area where the leopard could pose a tremendous threat to residents. The State Police and State Wildlife Department were called in to aid in the search. The National Guard will also be supplying five helicopters with infrared sensors.
“We have got to find her before 3 p.m.,” Blair said. “If we don’t, it could be a very messy night.”