Orangutan Didi Escapes from Solo Safari Enclosure, Wanders into Village and Knocks Over Motorcycles
Didi, a large orangutan in the collection of Solo Safari, escaped from its enclosure on Tuesday (18/8) towards late afternoon and made its way to a village on the western side of the zoo.
The orangutan’s walk towards the village in the UNS area did not cause panic among residents or road users on the western side of Solo Safari. Nevertheless, no one dared to disturb it, let alone chase it away.
When it entered the yard of the Bengawan soft-bone chicken warung in Jurug, which was busy with customers, the rare animal knocked over several parked motorcycles.
TSI (Taman Safari Indonesia) Group, which received reports of the orangutan’s escape, immediately acted quickly to evacuate the animal before it frightened members of the public it approached.
“After receiving information about the incident, TSI Group immediately deployed an internal team with competence in handling animals to secure the area,” said Dani Widi Krismara, representing management in a statement to journalists via the Solo Safari WhatsApp group.
According to him, the handling process was carried out in a measured manner, prioritising the safety of the public and the animal, in accordance with applicable procedures.
“The team succeeded in securing the orangutan, evacuating it and returning it to its exhibit in a controlled condition,” Dani added.
He assured that during the evacuation process, TSI Group ensured handling that took into account both public safety and animal welfare, as an inseparable part of TSI Group’s animal management standards.
“Everything is under control, and TSI Group is conducting a thorough evaluation of the sequence of events, including procedural aspects and the security system. The results of the evaluation will serve as the basis for strengthening security to ensure similar incidents can be minimised in the future,” he explained.
TSI Group understands the concerns and discomfort felt by residents around UNS as a result of this incident and extends its apologies to the community.