Gorilla at Canadian zoo dies after employee makes door mistake

Gorilla at Canadian zoo dies after employee makes door mistake

According to officials at the Calgary Zoo, human error caused the death of a young gorilla in Alberta, Canada. Eyare, a two-year-old western lowland gorilla, died last week after he was accidentally hit in the head by a hydraulic door activated by a staff member. The incident occurred while the employee was trying to separate Eyare from other members of the gorilla group for a one-on-one training session.

cause of death

According to a zoo statement, the gorilla succumbed to traumatic head injuries. “This tragedy has affected all of us in profound ways,” Colleen Baird, director of animal welfare at the Calgary Zoo, said during a news conference. "Eyare's short but defining life brought so much joy to our community and she will be deeply missed by all. We will do everything we can to prevent future incidents."

Reactions and measures

The employee involved was immediately removed from work and will be assigned to another area of ​​the zoo, Baird said. The zoo said it would introduce preventative measures, including special training for staff and animal behavior training, to avoid similar incidents in the future.

Previous incidents at the Calgary Zoo

It is not the first time that an animal in the zoo has died from something other than natural causes. In 2016, an otter drowned after becoming entangled in a pair of “unauthorized” pants that a zookeeper dropped in its enclosure. A penguin died in a freak accident in 2013 when she swallowed a stick, and in 2009 a capybara was also accidentally crushed by a hydraulic door.

Call for an independent investigation

The Animal Justice Legislative Fund, a Canadian nonprofit that advocates for the respectful treatment of animals, called for an independent investigation into animal safety and monitoring at the Alberta facility. "The Calgary Zoo appears to have a higher rate of animal deaths compared to other zoos and in light of Eyare's death, there should be a systematic review of the zoo's operations and practices, conducted transparently by government or another outside party," said Camille Labchuk, the nonprofit's executive director.

Future security measures

CNN has reached out to the Calgary Zoo for comment on the fund's statement. Baird emphasized in the press conference that the use of hydraulic doors is "common practice in accredited zoos," but the facility will examine whether alternative door systems can be adopted to improve security.

The Calgary Zoo, which launched the conservation organization Wilder Institute in 2021, cares for over 4,000 animals, including six other western lowland gorillas.