I heard on the radio that one of the biggest problems after the orangutan's escape was getting zoo visitors to head for the exits. No one wanted to leave, and I can't really blame them because an up close and personal experience with an orang would be awesome...haha.
There was another orangutan escape at Busch Gardens in Tampa, FL. They showed a video on the news (that a visitor took) with the orang on the roof of some structure while people were just walking by, paying no attention to what was around them, never knowing that there was an ape just above their heads!
Orangutans are very good escape artists as they are very inquisitive and intelligent and are able to use these traits to figure out ways of escape. They have amazing patience too, useful when picking locks or prying loose bars apart, often waiting until they know they are unobserved before returning to their task. With the amazing strength in their fingers they can sometimes undo bolts that have been tightened mechanically. There have been a couple of recent escapes in the UK too. The Sumatran male 'Puloh' escaped onto the roof of his(old) enclosure at Chester and had to be confined indoors fo some time as a result. Another one at Blackpool Zoo recently escaped into the service area of the enclosure there.
I was actually at the zoo volunteering when this happened. I remember getting ready to leave when I saw three ape zookeepers talking over the radio. I knew something was wrong when I saw the orang zookeeper's face, she looked worried. Then i was told the zoo was on lock down so I couldn't get out. It was nothing much, he just got out and went to the kitchen were zookeepers make food for the gorillas. Appearently since the gorilla exhibit was done, he (Bruno) has been curious about the gorillas. He was later tranquilized and put back in the exhibit.
