Clouded leopard safely returned to Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma after escaping enclosure
May 22, 2026, 2:20 PM | Updated: 3:44 pm
A clouded leopard cub plays in its enclosure in the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma. (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
A clouded leopard has been safely returned to the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma after it escaped its habitat.
At 2:23 p.m., the zoo announced that the 11-year-old clouded leopard, Orchid, had been located and returned. All pathways are now open, and no animals, guests, or staff were harmed.
The zoo said during an 11:30 a.m. Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater show, Orchid the clouded leopard didn’t return directly to her behind-the-scenes habitat and instead climbed a tree in an area behind the theater near the zoo’s perimeter fence.
“There is no danger to guests or staff at this time,” the zoo stated on X.
During the 11:30 a.m. Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater show, Orchid the clouded leopard did not return directly to her behind-the-scenes habitat and instead climbed a tree in an area behind the theater near the zoo’s perimeter fence. There is no danger to guests or staff at this time
— Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (@PtDefianceZoo) May 22, 2026
Tacoma zoo temporarily closes areas near escaped clouded leopard
Out of an abundance of caution, the zoo closed pathways in front of the theater and the Rocky Shores area while staff work to get the clouded leopard back in her enclosure.
“Safety protocols were immediately activated,” the zoo stated. “Our animal care and safety teams are following established emergency procedures.”
Follow Julia Dallas on X. Read her stories here. Submit news tips here.
