Leopard on the loose after escaping from safari park in eastern China

A leopard remains on the loose in China after escaping from a safari park with two fellow big cats. 

The leopard sparked a frenzy among web-users who have shared pictures and video of the spotted felines roaming tea plantations in the area. 

Two of the leopards have already been captured, and are in good health, officials said. 

Residents of the city of Hangzhou first reported seeing a leopard on the loose on Friday, with the safari park only acknowledging the escapes after the news went viral.

The park said it delayed making a public statement to avoid causing panic, but has been attacked online for allowing the animals to escape and endangering residents by not alerting the public in a timely fashion. 

Workers take part in a search for a runaway leopard in Hangzhou in eastern China’s Zhejiang province on Sunday

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This photo taken on May 9, shows a rescuer taking a powered parachute as he searches leopards which escaped from a wild park in Hangzhou, in China’s eastern Zhejiang province

Pictures were later circulated purporting to show a recaptured cat back in its cage

Hangzhou is one of China’s most popular tourist cities, famed for its tea plantations and the scenic West Lake.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the escape and have questioned the personnel in charge at the safari park.

The safari park said it was ‘sincerely sorry’ for not announcing the incident sooner, according to a statement.

As the young leopards were believed to be less aggressive, the park said it did not make the announcement to prevent causing panic among the public.

This photo taken on May 9, 2021 shows rescuers searching for leopards which escaped from a wild park in Hangzhou, in China’s eastern Zhejiang province

The safari park has been temporarily closed while it reviews safety and management issues.

Local officials said Monday that five people associated with the attraction – including its general manager – had been detained and that police had launched an investigation into the incident.

Authorities in eastern China are still hunting for the last of three leopards that escaped from a safari park.

Chinese media reported that a search team was on the trail of the third leopard after paw prints believed to have been left by the cat were found on Sunday, deploying dogs and a powered parachute in the hunt for the feline.

The leopard was spotted by a drone early on Sunday, but fled when people attempted to approach it, according to the Global Times. 

The park has also faced criticism for a video depicting the recapture of one of the escaped cats showing a pack of at least five dogs pinning it to the ground and biting its neck as the leopard clawed desperately at them.

A worker with a dog looks up on a path into the hillside as a search for a runaway leopard suspected to be in the area in Hangzhou in eastern China’s Zhejiang province Sunday, May 9

The zoo later released pictures purporting to show a recaptured cat back in its cage, but many social media users expressed doubt over whether the photos were authentic or when they were taken.

Chinese zoos and wildlife parks frequently face criticism over recurring revelations of horrific conditions for animals or deadly incidents blamed on lax management.

Chinese state media reported in 2017 that a tiger killed a visitor to a wildlife park in the eastern city of Ningbo after the man apparently entered its enclosure, and tigers at a Beijing park killed one woman and injured another the previous year after the pair left their vehicle.

The Hangzhou park has been temporarily closed.