Animal escape drill at Tobe Zoo in Japan features employee dressed up like white tiger

TOBE, Japan (WLS) -- An annual training event at a Japanese zoo has become something of a spectacle.

The Tobe Zoo held its annual escaped tiger drill Thursday, which features a staff member dressed up as a white tiger.

In the drill, the employee escapes and then is eventually "tranquilized" and "caught" by zoo staff.

The employee - wearing a white tiger mask with his normal work clothing - prowled around, doing his best impression of a tiger.

In past years' drills, staff members have dressed up as a gorilla, a hippopotamus and a lion. The annual drill has become a popular spectacle for locals and on the internet.