Search continues for antelope that ran away from Ludlow zoo

LUDLOW, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - There is quite the commotion in Ludlow as residents and law enforcement are trying to track down a runaway antelope.

“I know we will catch her with the help of everybody. We will get her,” said Joan Lupa, president and director of the Lupa Zoo.

After an Eland antelope escaped from her enclosure when a tree fell Saturday night, she has been spotted around the community in recent days, but there has still been no luck actually tracking her down. Lupa asked the public on Thursday for help to reunite her with her mate.

“Do not chase her because they, right now, she is scared and she is confused where she is…She’s not dangerous, she’s just scared,” Lupa added.

The search started Sunday morning when cleanup crews started picking up fallen branches and trees around the zoo and noticed the antelope’s enclosure door was open. The fallen tree on Saturday night caused the lock to break and the door to open.

First photos spotted the antelope in the Ludlow area. By Wednesday, she had traveled to Wilbraham and Edison Depaula’s farm, Moose Hill Farms.

“We were eating breakfast and my friend mentions ‘Did you guys get a donkey?’ and I’m like ‘What are you talking about?’ and she goes ‘What is that?’” Depaula said.

After taking some cell phone video, Depaula called animal control and police. He told us he tried to trap her in his fence, but she got spooked and ran away, but he didn’t stop trying.

“Right about midnight or so, I thought ‘Maybe I’ll take a drive around and maybe I’ll get lucky.’ I took a right up the road and took a left and about halfway down the road, in between the yellow lanes, he’s just trotting along,” Depaula dded.

He was so close, yet not close enough and the antelope remains on the loose. Lupa said that local police departments have a license to dart and sedate, so if you see the antelope, please call Ludlow Police at (413) 583-8305 or Lupa Zoo at (413) 478-4662.

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