Gorilla goes on Dutch zoo rampage

[oki]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6670723.stm

A 180kg (400-pound) gorilla has escaped from its enclosure and run amok at Rotterdam zoo in the Netherlands.

Witnesses reported seeing the gorilla, a dominant male, climb the enclosure's wall and apparently bite a woman, as well as injuring three other people.

The zoo was evacuated as the gorilla was subdued by a sedative dart after it sought refuge inside a zoo building.

The Diergaarde Blijdorp Zoo, which was packed with visitors on a holiday weekend, later reopened.

Many people in the Netherlands were taking advantage of a national holiday to make a long weekend.

The 11-year-old gorilla, called Bokito, managed to climb a high wall to escape from his enclosure.

"He got over the moat, which in itself is remarkable because gorillas can't swim," zoo director Ton Dorrestijn told reporters.

Visitors then described scenes of panic, as families ran screaming from the animal.

"I saw the beast running through the park with a woman behind him, him grabbing her forearm," eyewitness Robert De Jonge told NOS radio.

"He bit her, or I think he bit her, because when he stood up his mouth was covered in blood," Mr De Jonge said.

Some visitors tried to barricade themselves in a restaurant, but Bokito smashed part of a door and gained entry. He was eventually trapped there by zoo staff and tranquilised.





#* apperently that woman who was bitten, was there allmost every day, 'playing' with the gorilla. when he got out, he grabbed her and bit her about 30 times, I saw on the news. shes not in life danger, but in intensive care and needs more operating...
the gorilla busted out about 3 times before, in the berlin zoo. he was mad, they say, because they removed some other monkeys from his home, to a singapore zoo.

[jojo]

Have no fear. He is our friend and a good fellow.

Our brethren Primates are not evil, just misunderstood.

[Snouter]

I fockin' hate primates.

[Java_man]

A 57-year-old Dutch woman who was attacked by a 400-pound gorilla at a Rotterdam zoo said the ape was still her favorite even though she felt she was going to die when he bit her.


400-pound male ape who bit her at zoo ‘remains my darling,’ victim says

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18767315/

[oki]

I wander why he targetted her, apperently she isnt really his favourite..

[yuki]

Maybe because she didn't bring him a hamburger or something.

[Malcolm Wright]

Maybe he experienced her 'playing' as taunting.
Sometimes, nobody knows.

M.

[KanuckiStang]

Originally Posted by Malcolm Wright

Maybe he experienced her 'playing' as taunting.

Apparently, direct eye-contact is a threat behavior to gorillas. If she's there every day, "playing" with him, I'm sure she was, perhaps unknowingly, actually challenging him.

When he did get out, it makes sense he goes after the perceived threat/challenge.

[Malcolm Wright]

Originally Posted by KanuckiStang

Apparently, direct eye-contact is a threat behavior to gorillas. If she's there every day, "playing" with him, I'm sure she was, perhaps unknowingly, actually challenging him.

When he did get out, it makes sense he goes after the perceived threat/challenge.

That rings true.
She learned this little bit of trivia the hard way.

M.

[oki]

apperently not, she sais hes still her favourite, so shell probebly be back... oh well Im sure the zoo will monitor it now.