Leopard Briefly Gets Loose at Hogle Zoo in Utah

— -- A leopard briefly escaped from her enclosure at the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City, Utah this morning, Erica Hansen, a spokesperson for the zoo, told ABC News today.

Hansen confirmed that no one, and no animals, were injured during the leopard's short-lived liberation, which lasted about an hour, starting at 9:30 a.m.

After the leopard escaped, the big cat actually perched herself on a beam and fell asleep, Hansen said.

"Our staff moved very quickly and calmly and got all guests to indoor facilities," Hansen said, adding that they do not know how the animal escaped, but "are in the middle of the investigation."

The leopard was darted with anesthesia, and was not harmed.

The director of Animal Health at the zoo explained more about the runaway leopard to ABC4 today.

The zoo confirmed on its Twitter page that the leopard was safely contained and all staff and guests are safe.

Patrons took to Twitter this morning, saying the zoo was on lockdown after the feline escaped.

The leopard was immobilized and the incident contained with all animals, guests, and staff safe, zoo officials told ABC4 Utah.

"They pushed us back, and pushed down the gates, and they didn't tell us at first was going on so we were all kind of wondering," Jana Saunders, a zoogoer, told ABC4 Utah, "Then we heard rumors that there was an animal loose."

The zoo re-emphasized that the incident had been contained and taken care of in a second tweet.

This incident comes shortly after a toddler fell into a gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo, and debates regarding zoo safety have been at an all-time high across the country.

The toddler was not seriously injured, but the gorilla was shot to death.