JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Update: The warthog has been found safe in a palmetto thicket. The Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens announced “Mateo” was uninjured around midnight.

An incident involving an escaped warthog at the Jacksonville Zoo prompted an evacuation during a holiday lights event Friday evening. 

A spokesperson for the zoo said a warthog escaped its enclosure during the zoo’s Colors of the Wild event. Customers at the zoo were forced to shelter in place temporarily before eventually being evacuated. 

The spokesperson told First Coast News that the warthog never left an animals-only area of the complex, but visitors were sent home as a precaution due to concerns that the presence of people might startle the animal.

The zoo closed for the remainder of the evening and apologized for having to cancel the Colors of the Wild event. Their full statement can be read below. 

Out of an abundance of caution, we are canceling our Colors of the Wild event tonight to ensure the safety of all guests and animals. Our Animal Care team is working to rescue a warthog who escaped from its enclosure and is in an area of the Zoo where no guests are present. The Zoo will be closed for the remainder of the evening. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for understanding.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office used a thermal drone to find Mateo, the Zoo said. He will continued to be monitored.