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Watch Viral Video of Zookeeper Trapped with Silverback Gorilla

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Author Cayla de Souza, M.Sc. Ocean Sciences & Marine Biology

Gorilla
Gorilla Image by naticastillog via Depositphotos

A video capture at the Fort Worth Zoo goes viral. The video shows a tense moment between zookeepers and Elmo, a 34-year-old silverback gorilla. The video has gained over 21 million views. The incident occurred on the 20th of October; however, only months later, it was shared.

“Wild viral video shows zookeepers trying to hide from silverback gorilla at Fort Worth zoo”, Source: “YouTube”, Uploaded: “12NewsNow”

The Video

Gorilla
Image by bimserd via Depositphotos

In the video, two zookeepers find themselves trapped in the gorilla enclosure with Elmo. The zookeeper panics and throws a bucket at Elmo. She runs behind a door and uses her radio to call for help.

Elmo seems calm but notices a second zookeeper hiding behind a tree. The second zookeeper seems trying to distract Elmo from the first zookeeper.

Luckily, both zookeepers escape without being harmed. Interestingly, Elmo goes to the bucket and holds it up. Almost as if to remind the zookeepers of their forgotten item.

The Zoo’s Visitors

In the video, you can hear the zoo’s visitors’ fear, which underscores the gravity of the situation. Fortunately, thanks to the swift action of the zoo staff and the keepers’ expertise, no one was harmed.

Gorillas in Captivity: A Controversial Topic

Gorilla in Captivity
Image by bimserd via Depositphotos

The video highlights the issue of gorillas in captivity. While zoos play an important role in conservation efforts and educational outreach, the ethics of keeping such intelligent and complex animals in captivity are often debated.

Gorillas are critically endangered. Conservation efforts have led to a slight increase in their populations; however, they are still very much threatened by habitat destruction and poaching. Some might argue that keeping gorillas in captivity safeguards their population. However, life in captivity presents its own set of challenges.

Gorillas in captivity are prone to obesity and heart disease. They lack their social structures and vast territories in wild populations. This might lead to potential stress and behavioral issues.

Although the details of how the zookeeper got into this situation are primarily unknown, the zoo reported that the incident occurred due to a keeper error. Staff had entered the yard unaware that the silverback was still in its habitat.

I believe that zookeepers need to be very cautious around wild animals.

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