The surge in alleged crimes that has rocked the Dallas Zoo in recent weeks has baffled the entire industry.
       ”I don’t know of any zoo that has something like this,” said Michael Reiner, professor of biology and psychology at Drake University in Iowa and coordinator of the zoos and conservation science program.
        “People were almost stunned,” he said. “They were looking for a pattern that would lead them to an interpretation.”
        The incident began on January 13, when the clouded leopard was reported missing from its habitat. In the days and weeks that followed, leaks were discovered in the langur enclosure, an endangered vulture was found dead, and two emperor monkeys were allegedly stolen.
       Tom Schmid, CEO and president of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, said he had never seen anything like it.
        “It’s inexplicable,” he said. “In the 20+ years I’ve been in this field, I can’t think of a situation like this.”
       While they were trying to figure out how to figure it out, the Dallas Zoo promised to make “substantial changes” to the facility’s security system to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
        On Friday, authorities linked the 24-year-old zoo visitor to three cases, including the alleged theft of a pair of emperor marmosets. Davion Irwin was arrested Thursday on charges of burglary and animal cruelty.
        Irving also faces burglary charges related to the escape of Nova’s clouded leopard, the Dallas Police Department said. Owen was “involved” in the langur incident but was not charged in the case.
       Irvine has also not been charged in connection with the January 21 death of Pin, a 35-year-old bald eagle, who was found to have “unusual wounds” that zoo officials described as “unusual”.
        Authorities have yet to determine a motive, but Loman said investigators believe Owen was planning another crime prior to his arrest. An employee at the Dallas World Aquarium notified Irving of this after the police department released a photo of the person they wanted to talk to about the missing animal. According to a police affidavit supporting his arrest warrant, Owen questioned the officer about “the means and method of capturing the animal.”
       Dallas Zoo President and CEO Greg Hudson said Friday that Irwin did not work or volunteer at the Dallas Zoo, but was allowed as a guest.
       ”It’s been an incredible three weeks for all of us at the zoo,” Hudson told reporters. “What’s happening here is unprecedented.”
       When something goes wrong in zoos, the incidents are usually isolated and can be linked to someone trying to bring the animal home or into the habitat, Schmid said.
        “It’s not uncommon,” Schmid said. “The fact that they’ve already had several incidents makes this all the more unsettling.”
        Officials in Dallas provided few details about the incidents, although three of them – leopards, marmosets and langurs – had wounds found in the wire nets in which the animals were kept in common. Authorities say they appear to have been deliberate.
        A spokesperson for the zoo said Pin lived in an open-air habitat. The cause of death of the critically endangered bald eagle has not been determined.
        The authorities did not say which tool was used to cut the wire mesh. Pat Janikowski, longtime zoo designer and head of PJA Architects, said the mesh is usually made from multiple strands of stainless steel woven into ropes and woven together.
        “It’s really powerful,” he said. “It’s strong enough that a gorilla could jump in and pull it without breaking it.”
       Sean Stoddard, whose company A Thru Z Consulting and Distributing supplies mesh to the industry and has worked with the Dallas Zoo for more than 20 years, said he created a gap large enough for the animals to carry bolts or cable cutters that the suspect could use.
        Authorities did not say when the tool could have been used. In two cases – with a leopard and a tamarin – the zoo staff discovered the missing animals in the morning.
       Joey Mazzola, who worked as a marine biologist at the zoo from 2013 to 2017, said staff are likely to find missing monkeys and leopards when they count the animals, just like they do every morning and night.
        Zoo spokeswoman Kari Streiber said both animals were taken away the night before. Nova has escaped from the common areas where she lives with her older sister Luna. Streiber said it’s not yet clear when Nova will leave.
        According to Streiber, the monkeys disappeared from the containment space near their habitat. Mazzola likens these spaces to backyards: places that can be hidden from visitors and separated from the public habitats of animals and places where they spend the night.
        It is unclear how Irwin got into space. Police spokeswoman Lohman said authorities knew how Irwin pulled the marmosets, but she declined to comment, citing an ongoing investigation, as did Streiber.
       Hudson said the zoo is taking safety measures to ensure “something like this doesn’t happen again.”
        He added cameras, including a tower borrowed from the Dallas Police Department, and more night guards to monitor the 106-acre property. Crews are preventing some animals from spending the night outside, Streiber said.
        “Conserving the zoo is a unique challenge that requires special needs due to the environment,” the zoo said in a statement on Wednesday. “There are often extensive tree canopies, extensive habitats, and backstage areas that require surveillance, as well as heavy traffic from guests, contractors, and film crew.”
        It is not clear if there was a metal detector on the table. Like most US zoos, Dallas doesn’t have any, and Streiber said she doesn’t know if they are being considered.
       Other institutions are considering installing the systems, Schmid said, and the Columbus Zoo is installing them to prevent mass shootings.
       The Dallas incident could prompt officials at more than 200 accredited zoos around the country to check “what they’re doing,” he said.
       Schmid isn’t sure how this will change security at the Columbus Zoo, but he said there have been several discussions about animal care and safety.
       Drake University’s Renner hopes that Dallas’ new emphasis on safety and security will not dilute the zoo’s mission to create meaningful interactions between animals and visitors.
       ”Maybe there’s a strategic way to improve security without hurting the zoo or ruining the visitor experience,” he said. “I hope that’s what they’re doing.”