West Orange, NJ – For a few tense minutes on a quiet Wednesday morning in May, a 20-year-old black bear named Jelly briefly wandered free from her enclosure at Turtle Back Zoo before being safely recaptured without incident.
The ordeal was quick and straight forward, but in the depths of internet chat spaces and subreddits, conspiracy theories have been abound.
What happened to Jelly? People claim the bear has not been seen at the zoo, but are they true?
The aging bear, who has been in captivity for more than two decades, managed to slip through an unlocked gate around her habitat on May 29—hours before the zoo opened to the public.
Zoo personnel quickly located Jelly just feet away from her enclosure, in a secured, non-public area of the facility.
County officials confirmed Jelly was never near visitors and there was no threat to public safety. Staff enacted established emergency protocols, and the bear was safely returned to her enclosure within minutes.
Zoo administrators later identified the cause of the breach as human error.
A gate had been left unsecured by a staff member, prompting Essex County to launch a full review of safety procedures and implement additional training to prevent future incidents.
Jelly, considered geriatric at her age, has not had any reported health issues since the scare, and remains in her habitat under continued observation.
Rumors circulating online claiming the bear had died or disappeared were dismissed by the county, which emphasized that Jelly is alive and well.
The zoo did not disclose whether disciplinary action was taken against the staff member involved in the error. Officials stressed that no animals or personnel were harmed and that public safety remains a top priority.