CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Zoo says that a polar bear that got out of a containment area was never a danger to visitors.

Several reports on Twitter indicated that visitors were either ushered into structures at the zoo or sheltered in place.

Kevin Sullivan said in a post that “zoo rep told us they have the bear contained but is still at risk of getting out into the zoo.”

Sullivan said he and others were in the monkey house. Leah Naumann told WLWT News 5 that she and others were ordered into the manatee house for safety.

She said that she and a friend had been at the polar bear enclosure about 25 minutes before, and noted that the bears seemed really active.

Naumann said she was told that the bear was trapped in a tunnel. She said just after noon that visitors were given an option to either go to their car with an armed escort or wait until the bear was secured.

“Spirits are high, everyone is calm,” she said.

Christa Boone said in a Facebook message that “Told to shelter in place for animal outside its enclosure at Zoo. Bear heard on radio, not sure. No one allowed outside. Men took off in carts with rifles ‘just in case.'”

The zoo issued a statement that read “At approximately 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, March 16, 2016, our female polar bear Berit breached a behind-the-scenes containment area but was never loose in the zoo. The situation is ongoing and under control. There is no risk to staff or visitors in the park, but as a precaution guests were moved indoors. Visitors are safe to leave the park if they choose. There are no injuries to animal staff or visitors. We are currently working on resolving the situation.”

“There are no injuries to animals, animal staff or visitors,” the zoo said on Twitter.

Source: WLWT