'Ingenious' orangutan escapes from enclosure in Australia

Adelaide: Officials have evacuated a zoo in Australia after an orangutan found a way of climbing the fence surrounding its enclosure.

The ape short-circuited an electric fence on Sunday by jamming a stick into wire and then piled up sticks and other debris to climb a concrete and glass wall to the enclosure at the Adelaide Zoo.

Zoo curator Peter Whitehead told reporters the ape, named Karta, climbed the fence and sat there for about 30 minutes before apparently changing her mind about the escape and climbing back into the enclosure.

The animal was not aggressive but visitors were evacuated as a precaution, and veterinarians stood by with tranquilizer guns in case of trouble.

Whitehead said Karta was "an ingenious animal."