RonJonSurfer Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 Gorilla escapes at Dutch zoo, injures 4 By TOBY STERLING, Associated Press Writer AMSTERDAM, Netherlands - A 400-pound gorilla escaped from his enclosure and ran amok in a Rotterdam zoo Friday, biting one woman, dragging her around, and causing panic among dozens of visitors before he was finally subdued, officials and a witness said. The Diergaarde Blijdorp zoo was evacuated and the 11-year-old gorilla, named Bokito, was eventually contained in a restaurant within the park, police spokeswoman Yvette de Rave said. Four people were injured, including the woman who was bitten, zoo director Ton Dorrestijn said. Bokito was shot with a sedative dart and recaptured, said zoo spokeswoman Lilian Jonkers, but she couldn't say what his condition was. It was not immediately clear how he managed to climb the high stone walls surrounding his enclosure. "He got over the moat, which in itself is remarkable, because gorillas can't swim," Dorrestijn said. "He got onto a path for visitors and started running and went at full speed through tables and diners at the Oranje restaurant." A witness, Robert de Jonge, told NOS radio that he didn't see the gorilla escape but began following it and tried to help after he saw people running and screaming that the animal had grabbed a woman. "I saw the beast running through the park with a woman behind him, him grabbing her forearm," De Jonge said. At a distance of around 30 yards, he saw the gorilla lie down near the woman and then heard her scream. "He bit her, or I think he bit her, because when he stood up his mouth was covered in blood," De Jonge said. He said he then stopped to tell arriving police what had happened and ran with them as they traced the gorilla to a nearby restaurant terrace. The zoo was packed with visitors as many Dutch took advantage of a national holiday Thursday to make a long weekend. "Everyone was in panic, running away, screaming, wailing, screaming kids running around, I don't know what all, kids without parents — it was a total drama," De Jonge said. Children cowered in their parents' arms as the gorilla loped past. People tried to hide inside the restaurant and were trying to bar the door, but fled as the gorilla approached, De Jonge said. Bokito then punched through the glass door and ran inside. "They were all in panic — the animal, too, I mean — and all the people ran outside the restaurant, and zoo personnel were running up and they were able to keep the animal inside by barricading the doors with garden furniture and things," he said. De Jonge said he later saw the woman "covered in blood," but walking unaided. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elvish Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 Gorillas are normally very gentle creatures...but i guess being captive might make one go...nevermind, I'm not gonna say it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawna Posted May 19, 2007 Report Share Posted May 19, 2007 that gorilla behaved strikingly like one of my exes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonJonSurfer Posted May 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2007 Whatever happened to Faye Wray?? (Too lazy to check on the correct spelling). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edna Posted May 19, 2007 Report Share Posted May 19, 2007 that gorilla behaved strikingly like one of my exes. Wow, you lived a dangerous life, Shawna... An ex of mine also had his moments, but I would just leave his place or hang the phone et voilà ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farin Posted May 19, 2007 Report Share Posted May 19, 2007 just slightly off-topic: sometime last week I read that in Berlin one zoo keeper was killed by a muskox, when she accidently didn't secure the door Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted May 22, 2007 Report Share Posted May 22, 2007 Surprisingly , more wild animal caused deaths occur from wildebeests ( a kind of long-horned cow ) than any other animal each year in Africa . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcM Posted May 22, 2007 Report Share Posted May 22, 2007 No one ever suspects the seemingly mild mannered wildebeest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted May 22, 2007 Report Share Posted May 22, 2007 Bet they'd make a good rug . Say , marc , let's take some of your arsenal and head off to Africa when you get holidays next . Those blood -thirsty bast*rds ! } ( I'm callin' the Winchester ! ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcM Posted May 22, 2007 Report Share Posted May 22, 2007 I dont think I have anything powerful enough for that sort of game. Deer, yes. I am not a hunter, though. Maybe we could use explosives? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Fish Posted May 23, 2007 Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 oh? And what, pray tell, has the humble psyco wildebeast ever done to you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Seeker Posted May 23, 2007 Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 Just curious... is humble your favourite word? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blind-fitter Posted May 23, 2007 Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 A long time ago, I had temporary employment in a zoo; circumcizing the elephants. The pay wasn't much, but the tips were enormous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenacious_Peaches Posted May 23, 2007 Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Posted May 23, 2007 Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 OMG, I just laughed so hard, I snorted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miamisammy29 Posted May 23, 2007 Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 "Bobby, d'they ever catch that gorilla what escaped from the zoo and punched you in the eye?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenacious_Peaches Posted May 23, 2007 Report Share Posted May 23, 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Fish Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 Just curious... is humble your favourite word? No. Why? curious? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 Because you are as annoying as h*ll in most other respects ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Fish Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 Cheers. I'll just go now should I? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 If you wish . I , myself , am like the plague - people just have to wait until it runs its course . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Fish Posted May 24, 2007 Report Share Posted May 24, 2007 Well, i'm not going now. So there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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