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KANSAS CITY, MO. (AP) -- Update: Monday, Feb. 20th at 10:55 a.m.: 

The two gorillas, named Ntondi and Mbundi, reportedly escaped because staff members left a gate open that lead to the zoo keeper's area.

The zoo keepers that were in the enclosure with the escaped gorillas used a ladder to climb their way to safety.

The gorillas were forced back into their habitat by zoo officials using water hoses.

Original Story:

Visitors were quarantined briefly after two of the Kansas City Zoo's five gorillas got out of their habitat and roamed into a non-public feeding area.

Zoo spokeswoman Julie Neemeyer said the gorillas were found in an area of the Africa exhibit where zookeepers feed the animals about 2:30 p.m. Sunday. She said the zoo then issued a "code red," which means an animal is "not where it's supposed to be."

Visitors were taken out of the Africa exhibit area and held in a safe area for about a half hour before being allowed to leave.

The male gorillas remained contained in the non-public, keeper-only feeding area about two hours later. No injuries were reported.

Neemeyer said zoo officials did not know how the gorillas got out of their habitat.

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