Relief as escaped Elephant returns to Borno zoo after 17 days

One of the missing elephants from the Sanda Kyarimi Park Zoo in Maiduguri, Borno State, has voluntarily returned to the zoo after 17 days on the loose.

The animal had escaped following severe flooding that damaged the zoo and submerged 70% of Maiduguri.

In a viral video, the elephant was seen being carefully lured back into the zoo by workers using food as bait. Once inside, the park gates were swiftly shut behind the animal.

Eyewitnesses in Maiduguri expressed relief at the return of the elephant, as the community had been on high alert since the escape.

Residents now feel safer, knowing the wild animal is back in its enclosure.

“When this flood damaged the zoo and we heard that the animals have occupied streets, I have been careful about my movements. I am glad the elephant is back.

“Alhamdulilah, our mind is at rest now while we keep looking for others,” Aisha Mohammed, a Maiduguri resident, stated.

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A resident who witnessed the return of the elephant, Abubakar Usman, said, “The elephant returned on Friday or so. It was a great moment for us as we jubilated over its return because the more the elephant stays missing and outside the zoo, the more our fears get heightened.”

Similarly, Abba Modu, another resident of Maiduguri, expressed joy over the news of the return of the elephant, stating that “the zoo is incomplete without that elephant. It was always fun to watch the elephant at the caged at the zoo. We are also glad that there was no news of the elephant killing anyone while it was missing.”

However, efforts by Arewa PUNCH to reach out to the zoo authorities for updates on the whereabouts of other missing animals proved abortive.

Our correspondent, who visited the zoo, reports that it is currently going through a renovation on a facelift, especially around the damaged section of the fence behind the zoo and other facilities.

Arewa PUNCH had earlier reported that the management of the Sanda Kyarimi Park Zoo had confirmed that about 80 per cent of the animals in the zoo died due to the flooding while others, including crocodiles, snakes among other dangerous animals escaped.