Four hurt as gorilla escapes from ape house at Rotterdam zoo

May 18, 2007, 20:29 GMT

Rotterdam - Four people were injured after gorilla Bokito escaped at Rotterdam's Blijdorp Zoo Friday.

The famous zoo was packed with people on family outings when male gorilla Bokito jumped from his ape home over a canal and into the crowds.

He ran over the pedestrian path and finally entered the zoo restaurant, where he threw with tables and chairs, causing substantial damage.

Witnesses say he grabbed one woman when he came on the pedestrian path opposite the canal. He apparently pushed her down, sat on her, bit her and then dragged her along, the woman screaming for help.

After a while, the gorilla let go and continued to the restaurant, causing a mass flight of everyone inside.

It took more than an hour and a half before the zoo veterinarian was finally able to sedate the gorilla, using a sedation gun. Caretakers took him back to his own surroundings in the zoo.

Four people were taken to the hospital for treatment. Zoo director Dorrestein described the condition of the woman who sustained the most serious of injuries as 'stable' and not life-threatening.

Another woman sustained injuries when she fell, as did a man sitting in a wheelchair. The fourth person hurt was one of the zoo's animal caretakers.

Apparently the man froze and entered into a state of shock when he suddenly noticed the huge ape standing right in front of him.

Director Dorresteijn regrets the incident but said the zoo will not end the gorilla's life. It is unclear however whether the animal will remain in Blijdorp.

Bokita has been in Blijdorp since 2005. Before, he lived in the Berlin Zoo. In 2004 he escaped the ape home there by climbing over a three-metre glass wall.

Dorresteijn said Bokito has been raised by humans. He suspected the animal was bullied and wanted to protect his females and two young babies.

After the ape left his surroundings and entered the crowds, he probably panicked. Gorillas cannot cope with separation from relatives.

The zoo administration will investigate why Bokito was able to cross the protection canal which had been considered too wide for the apes to jump over. Gorillas are known for their fear of water.