Authorities are searching for a red panda that escaped from a zoo in south-eastern France.
The Saint-Martin-la-Plaine Zoo said recent snowfall caused tree branches to break inside the park, allowing the panda to climb out of its enclosure.
“He is an outstanding climber who is not afraid of altitude, do not hesitate to look up the trees,” the zoo said in a Facebook post.
The red panda, which keepers said is nocturnal and sleeps in trees during the day, was last seen near Saint-Maurice-Sur-Dargoire, about 3 miles from the zoo.
Members of the public are being asked to contact the zoo if they spot the panda and not attempt to catch it themselves. They warned the panda appears harmless and “plush,” but could harm a person with its claws and teeth.
