Drone Swarm Hunts Escaped Leopard In Chinese Tech Hub Hangzhou

Search efforts in Hangzhou, China, have ramped up for the final leopard in a trio that escaped in May from a local zoo. The Hangzhou Safari Park kept the escape under wraps for weeks, but officials say the young female leopard is unlikely to pose a threat to residents.

The search has expanded to include 1,700 personnel and 990 drones, employing powered paragliders and infrared cameras near water sources.

The Chinese tech hub boasts the headquarters of online commercial titan Alibaba in addition to its zoo and natural landscapes. Officials are telling residents to avoid the woods until the animal is captured.

The Hangzhou Fuyang District government put out instructions over social media platform Weibo telling people to avoid running or shouting if they encounter the leopard.

“You can raise both hands up and stand quietly, or slowly back away,” it said. “Don’t turn around and run.”

The other two escapees were apprehended without incident. While the park notes that the leopard is a juvenile and says it didn’t want to cause a panic, they were originally housed in the park’s Dangerous Predator Zone.

The Hangzhou Safari Park sparked outrage by keeping the escape from the public for days, only confirming it when the leopards were reported by nearby residents.

The leopards were spotted on a tea plantation during an especially busy time for the city, as May Day celebrations attract thousands of tourists.

City officials said the leopards escaped due to lax protocols during an enclosure cleaning. At a news conference, a police spokesperson also accused the park of concealing the escape out of fears it would dampen tourist interest in the park, which saw 97,700 visitors over the holiday.

“Our park has reflected deeply and we want to express our deep apologies,” read a statement released by the park. “We sincerely accept criticism and supervision from the public.”