KNOXVILLE (WATE) – A gazelle at Zoo Knoxville made a jailbreak Sunday night.
Fodder the gazelle got out of his enclosure, according to zoo officials, and spent the night in the back part of the zoo. Fodder is the only gazelle at the zoo. The quick-footed 12-year-old was first spotted by park rangers on the zoo pathway around midnight. After hours of searching, the gazelle was finally found in the wooded area of the zoo.
Rangers were able to safely tranquilize the animal before taking him to surgery for a broken jaw.
“Now he’s back and recovering. He’s got pain meds and antibiotics and just recovering,” said Dr. Andrew Cushing with Zoo Knoxville.
Zoo officials haven’t said how Fodder was able to escape. He is expected to make a full recovery.