By AP/KWMU
St. Louis, Mo. – Officials at the St. Louis Zoo are taking steps to modify a cheetah yard after one of the big cats was able to escape.
The 3-year-old female, Halala, was on display in the River's Edge area of the zoo Tuesday when she managed to go over a moat and over a wall.
She was out for about 20 minutes before zoo workers herded her to an area out of view of visitors. No one was hurt.
Workers are installing a 4-foot-tall chain-link fence atop the rock wall that separates the cheetah yard from the public. The cheetah remains in the holding area until the fence is complete. She could return to display as early as Saturday.
Zoo officials believe the animal climbed vegetation and was able to jump to the top of the wall, perhaps to get away from a male cheetah.