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Jaguar Attack: 'He was doing what jaguars do'

A horrifying scene at the zoo in New Orleans over the weekend after a jaguar escaped from its enclosure and killed several animals before finally being captured.

SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) – A horrifying scene at the zoo in New Orleans over the weekend after a jaguar escaped from its enclosure and killed several animals before finally being captured.

On Monday, the Audubon Zoo reopened to cautious guests, but its jaguars remain off-exhibit. Valerio, the three-year-old jaguar, escaped his encounter and killed nine animals.

"We take this situation very seriously and we are working to investigate what happened to prevent it from happening again," said Dr. Kyle Burks, Audubon Zoo. 

Valerio was born at the San Diego Safari Park in 2015. He was the third cub for mom, Nindiri. At the time, the zoo hosted a social media campaign to name him. According to the zoo, 7,000 people chose the name Valerio – which means powerful, strong and healthy. In 2017, Valerio was moved to the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans.

Valerio shares his exhibit space with a female jaguar, but they are kept in separate areas. Officials at the Audubon Zoo said they are investigating whether a break in the stainless steel cable on the roof allowed enough space for Valerio to escape.

Valerio killed five alpacas, three foxes, and an emu before zookeepers sedated him. He did not eat any of the animals. Instead, zoo officials believe it was territorial.

"He's a young male jaguar. He was doing what jaguars do. His behavior was not out of the ordinary for that kind of an animal. He's a normal as far as we are concerned," said Joel Hamilton, with the Audubon Zoo. 

Valerio will remain off-exhibit, in a secure building until repairs are made to the habitat.

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