Adelaide Zoo: Red panda's dramatic rescue after missing for two days

An adorable zoo animal has been returned to safety following a dramatic rescue after it went missing for more than two days.

The seven-year-old red panda, named Ravi, was found hiding out in a fig tree in Botanic Park in Adelaide on Sunday after its brazen escape on Friday.

Zoo keepers spent the day trying to lure the endangered species down from its hideout using its favourite foods, bamboo and sweet corn.

Footage shows the moment Ravi had to be shot to be taken out of the tree.

Adelaide Zoo director Dr Phil Ainsley said that based on the advice of vets, the panda was darted down using a tranquilliser.

More than 10 people can be seen holding up a life net to catch the animal as they waited for the drugs to take effect.

Dr Ainsley said the panda was found to be malnourished after 48 hours on the run, eating nothing but unripe figs.

It is unknown how the animal escaped, with zoo staff launching a review - including rewatching CCTV footage - to determine how he got out.

The panda's adventure was the first mammal escape from the zoo in recent years, with the species enclosure being rebuilt only a couple of months ago.

"He's now just being transferred back into the zoo where he'll spend the next couple of days in our animal health department just getting a check-up and making sure he's Okay," Dr Ainsley said.