Columbus Zoo evacuates again amid nationwide trend of hoax threats

• It happened again Tuesday, forcing the zoo to evacuate and close for the remainder of the day. All guests, staff and animals were reported as safe.

Zoom out: Hoax threats involving bombs and active shooters have prompted evacuations at multiple zoos across the country in recent days, including in Akron and Cleveland.

What they're saying: Incidents are so widespread, Columbus Zoo president and CEO Tom Schmid told WCMH-TV that staff had been participating in safety drills to prepare.

• "This is part of life now around the country, around the world," he said.

Threat level: Bomb threats require serious responses and the use of a variety of resources, assistant special agent in charge Andy Kerchhoff of the FBI's Cleveland field office told WJW-TV in Cleveland.

• "It's very serious, and we treat all of these threats, even if we determine them to be hoaxes, as very serious."