An escape artist bear named Ben who got out of his enclosure twice — including while guests were at the zoo — is being moved to a new zoo with a habitat that has a moat

• An Andean bear named Ben escaped from his habitat twice, even after it was reinforced.
• The Saint Louis Zoo said Ben's "specific and unique personality" meant the best option was to move him.
• Ben's new home at a zoo in Texas comes with a moat, which may be harder for him to maneuver around.

An Andean bear who escaped from his enclosure at Missouri zoo on two occasions is being moved to a zoo in Texas that is better equipped to handle his "unique personality," the Saint Louis Zoo said in a press release.

The 4-year-old bear, named Ben, made the first escape from his enclosure at the Saint Louis Zoo on February 7, when he was discovered outside of his habitat in the morning before the zoo opened to the public.

Zoo staff members were able to safely tranquilize him and move him back into a holding area before the zoo opened for the day.

The zoo at the time said it had "no reason to believe that there was any human fault or tampering that led to the bear's escape."

"Instead, it would appear that the very curious bear meddled with the steel mesh in just the right spot of the outdoor habitat, causing a cable to give way, which then allowed the bear to work his way out," a press release said.

After the first incident, the zoo took additional steps to secure Ben's habitat, including "adding stainless steel cargo clips rated at 450 pounds tensile strength."

But apparently, that wasn't enough to stop Ben.

On February 23, the bear made his second escape, this time in the afternoon while guests were present at the zoo. Photos captured by a guest showed Ben wandering a zoo path.

"Guests and staff on grounds were quickly escorted into various indoor facilities while team members secured Ben, which took approximately 50 minutes from start to finish," the zoo said.

—Alex Gaul (@AlexGaulTV) February 23, 2023

After consulting with outside groups, the zoo announced Tuesday that Ben would be moved to a new home. Even though the enclosure at the Saint Louis Zoo met the standards set by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums and the USDA — and had previously held bears without any escapes — they said it would be best for Ben's "specific and unique personality."

Ben is set to be moved to the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas, which has a long history with Andean bears. Ben's new habitat will also include a moat.

"While we love Ben, and wish he could stay with us, our goal is to do what is best for him," Regina Mossotti, vice president of animal care at the Saint Louis Zoo, said.

Andean bears, the only bear species native to South America, are considered vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with deforestation and habitat loss impacting the species.