Following a series of unusual crimes at the Dallas Zoo last year, officials have announced a comprehensive overhaul of security measures, insisting the facility is stronger than ever.
Last year, several bizarre crimes were committed, catching the attention of national media. The Dallas Express reported on numerous incidents, like a missing leopard, sabotaged animal enclosures, and a suspicious vulture death, among others. Now, one year after the last incident, the Dallas Zoo claims they have significantly ramped up security.
Dallas Zoo board chair Dawn Moore said the series of strange crimes have only helped to strengthen the beloved facility.
“When you go through hardship, you either come out stronger or you die,” she told The Dallas Morning News.
The odd series of episodes began on January 13, 2023, when the zoo announced that one of its two clouded leopards was unaccounted for. Nova the leopard was eventually located after a search that involved helicopters, a SWAT team, and drones outfitted with infrared sensors.
It was determined that someone had intentionally cut Nova’s enclosure. A similar cut was also found on the zoo’s langur monkey habitat.
The story of the missing leopard would kick off a series of subsequent curiosities at the complex. One week later, for example, Pin, an endangered lapped-faced vulture, was discovered dead after spending over three decades living at the zoo.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, a local Dallas man, Davion Irvin, was later accused of cutting the leopard’s closure and stealing two tamarin monkeys. However, Irvin was not linked to the mysterious vulture death.
Leadership at the zoo said the facility now boasts one of the most extensive security operations of any zoo in the United States. Over the past year, more than $1 million has been spent on upgrades and enhancements, according to the zoo’s chief operating officer, Sean Greene.
With an eye toward security improvements, zoo leaders made several changes:
- Added uniformed security offers with an active command center that runs around the clock
- Upgraded camera systems that include an alarm monitoring service
- Enhancement of over 1.5 miles of the perimeter fence
- Added signage warning that the zoo is under constant surveillance
- Improved lighting throughout the campus.
“We sort of tackled every facet of security that we can think of to help us to try to avoid something like this ever happening again,” said Diana Worden, the zoo’s senior director of safety and security.