Cheetah escape at Zion Wildlife Gardens

New information published today shows two fleet-footed cheetahs fled their enclosure in April. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Panic erupted when two cheetahs escaped their enclosure at a beleagured big cat theme park.

Sabotage probably caused the escape, according to Zion Wildlife Gardens operator Patricia Busch.

Busch told Fairfax the predators were incapable of leaving their gated enclosure without help.

Another document published today shows Zion staff had to subdue at least one of the cats before returning it to its enclosure.

The new information shows the fleet-footed felines fled their enclosure in April.

Today's news follows a wave of scandals including the death of a zookeeper, financial problems and family feuds for the calamity-prone big cat park.

DISASTERS AT ZION:

*August 2010: The young female Bengal tiger Sita was attacked and killed by male tiger Jahdu.

*May 2009: Zion employee Dalu Mncube was mauled to death by the white tiger Abu. Mncube and colleague Napoleon Ferreira had walked into Abu's enclosure carrying a wheelbarrow, shovel and stick. Abu attacked Mncube and began eating him.
Other Zion staff had rushed to save Mncube, using an electric cattle prod and a fire extinguisher.

*December 2008: The park's founder, Craig Busch, takes his mother to court in a bid to be reinstated at Zion. He failed.

*November 2008: Busch is fired by his mother, Patricia, who takes control of the park. They are still embroliled in a feud.

*July 2006: Facing a debt crisis, Craig Busch accepted a bail-out package from his mother. The two fell out shortly afterward.