A wolf escaped from its enclosure at a zoo in western Tokyo on Sunday, forcing visitors to flee to safety as staff temporarily closed the facility, according to local media.

The incident occurred at Tama Zoological Park in Hino shortly after the zoo opened in the morning, when a zoo attendant spotted the European wolf roaming along a public pathway inside the grounds, Kyodo News reported.

Officials said no injuries were reported.

Zoo staff later located the wolf in a bushy area within the park and began efforts to safely capture and return the animal to its enclosure.

The zoo announced that entry had been suspended to ensure public safety, urging visitors to stay away until further notice.

Opened in 1958, Tama Zoological Park is one of Tokyo’s major wildlife attractions and is home to around 260 animal species from Japan and abroad. (AA)