>

Nah. It was the penguins.
"a cutting tool was used to intentionally make an opening in the fence of the small cat’s habitat, and a similar cut was found at a habitat for small monkeys" >

Definitely some crazy PETA people >

Or people looking to grab them to sell illicitly as pets.  There is a pretty active black market for exotic animals.
PETA would have gone after something bigger to make a big show of it. >

Years ago the local zoo lost a pigmy falcon that was due to lay eggs at any time. Someone just cut their way into the enclosure and made off with it and it was never recovered. >

That's extra heartbreaking given how many people out there aren't just hoarding exotic animals, but collecting eggs and other specimens that do not involve keeping the animals alive. >

Can’t recall if it was the Dodo or the Great Auk, but a wealthy person realized that a formerly-common bird was becoming rare, and he didn’t have an egg in his collection. He hired a ship that was going near their habitat anyway to bring him an egg. Sailors found a pair, killed them, and collected the egg for their sponsor. That was the last reported sighting of the species. >

I thought the last Great Auk was killed because people thought it was a witch. >

Something I read years ago.
Another thing (saw it on a science show) was that scientists had found that one species of tree growing on tropical islands had no specimens under around 300 years old. Upon investigation, it was found that the seeds had hard coats, typical of seeds that need to pass through a bird’s digestive tract before they can germinate. From the location where the trees were growing, the size of the seeds, and the minimum age of the tree population, it was believed that the only suitable bird native to the area was the dodo. Fortunately for the trees, domestic turkeys were found to be an acceptable substitute. >

Glad the leopard was found safe, someone was definitely trying to steal animals from the zoo. >

It was a clouded leopard, from what I understand--I'd bet you're right and somebody wanted it for a pet. >

Considering the damage a house cat can do, i don't understand people who want a bigger more feral feline as a pet. Seems like asking for trouble >

Clouded leopards are cute. 
People like cute. >

I mean yes, but nevermind that this is a wild animal that will be miserable under domestication, a clouded leopard can bite off your hand or kill a small child. >

You underestimate how quickly common sense is ignored when cute is a factor. >

I do get the cuteness 
I could steal a sea otter if it was happy living with me or a mini capybara
Something that would have to really try to injure me >

The monkeys cut their way out and freed the leopard as a distraction! Clever bastards.