Authorities in China are hunting for the last of three leopards that escaped from a safari park, which concealed the breakout for nearly a week.
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The delay in announcing the escape sparked criticism that the safari park had put people at risk, especially since the leopards were at large over the five-day Labor Day holidays in China, with hordes of tourists visiting Hangzhou, one of China’s most popular tourist cities. It isAuthorities are investigating the cause of the leopards’ escape and have questioned staff in charge at the safari park.
The safari park said it was “sincerely sorry” for not announcing the incident sooner, according to a statement on its Weibo microblogging account Saturday. As the young leopards were believed to be less aggressive, the park said it did not make the announcement to prevent causing panic among the public.