Elephant Escapes Zoo Enclosure for Morning Stroll

Alice the 52-year-old Asian elephant spent time on public walkway before safely returning to her habitat at BioPark Zoo in Albuquerque.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 7:18pm

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An abstract, impressionistic photograph of an elephant's trunk gently exploring a map, with the scene captured in soft, blurred pools of warm color and light, conceptually representing the unexpected yet peaceful nature of the elephant's escape.An elephant's unexpected morning stroll through the zoo's public spaces highlights the need for ongoing habitat maintenance and upgrades.Albuquerque Today

Staff at BioPark Zoo in Albuquerque addressed the elephant not in the room, but on the public walkway. Their 52-year-old Asian elephant, Alice, escaped from her habitat Sunday morning, spending time in a public area before safely returning to her enclosure. Security video captured Alice taking a calm Sunday morning stroll down Main Street, sniffing the map and playing tourist at home for the day.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the importance of maintaining secure zoo enclosures to protect both the animals and the public. While Alice's escape was resolved safely, it raises questions about the aging infrastructure at the BioPark Zoo and the need for ongoing improvements to ensure the wellbeing of the animals and visitors.

The details

Alice escaped through a welded pillar gate in the water pond section of her habitat, which is currently off-limits as welders repair it. She then trampled another bamboo fence to reach Main Street. Officials said the section of fence Alice escaped through hadn't been updated in nearly 20 years, but they have since reinforced the area and are inspecting other habitats for weak spots.

  • On Sunday morning, Alice escaped from her habitat at the BioPark Zoo.
  • Zoo staff responded to Alice's escape in just 10 minutes, using the same recall method she's trained with.
  • After her adventurous Sunday morning stroll, Alice spent the rest of the day relaxing, and her behavior was back to normal on Monday.

The players

Alice

A 52-year-old Asian elephant at the BioPark Zoo in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Brandon Gibson

The director of the BioPark Zoo in Albuquerque.

BioPark Zoo

A zoo located in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

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What they’re saying

“The 8,000-pound elephant somehow squeezed through this opening, knocking down this fence, just to take a stroll down Main Street. She's over 8,000 pounds. She's definitely able to use some force.”

— Brandon Gibson, Director of the BioPark Zoo

“We were able to secure the perimeter, have our zookeepers come and start recalling her back. It has been a very long time since any animal has escaped a perimeter containment at the BioPark. I think it's looking back decades and decades. I think the BioPark is a very safe place to be, and I think this incident shows that all of our measures and tools worked. Staff was safe, the public was safe, and Alice the elephant was safe.”

— Brandon Gibson, Director of the BioPark Zoo

What’s next

Zoo staff continue to inspect other habitats for weak spots, using gross receipts tax money to modernize them.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the need for ongoing maintenance and upgrades to zoo enclosures to ensure the safety of both animals and the public. While the BioPark Zoo was able to quickly resolve Alice's escape, it serves as a reminder that even the most secure habitats require vigilant monitoring and proactive improvements.