A young grizzly bear at the Calgary Zoo spent a short time outside his habitat over the weekend before being safely returned. In a statement, the Wilder Institute's Calgary Zoo said its Animal Care, Health & Welfare team noticed one-year-old grizzly cub Fitz was missing from his usual spot during routine early-morning checks on Sunday, before the zoo had opened to the public.

Staff activated emergency response procedures, and the cub was anesthetized and moved back to his behind-the-scenes space without incident. The zoo said its initial investigation suggests Fitz managed to climb above the containment barriers surrounding his habitat and reached an area just outside and above it. He was later assessed by the Animal Health team and found to be healthy and uninjured. Both Fitz and his brother Turner are being kept in their regular back-of-house space while the zoo reviews what happened and looks at possible habitat improvements.

Calgary police also responded, though they weren't needed to intervene. Calgary Police Service Staff Sgt. John Guigon told CBC News that the bear "took a little walk around the zoo, sat down and was tranquilized by members of the zoo." He added officers stayed on standby while the zoo managed the situation, noting the bear "didn't seem interested in doing much more than just having an adventure."

The zoo said in its statement that it has managed bears in this habitat for more than three decades and that the space underwent thorough preparation before Fitz and Turner moved in. Fitz and Turner arrived at the zoo last fall as orphaned cubs after their mother was killed by a hunter in self-defence near Diamond Valley, southwest of Calgary, according to CBC News.