On Saturday, a 10-year-old western lowland gorilla named Denny charged at guests and broke a layer of protective glass at the San Diego Zoo. The incident occurred in the gorilla forest habitat, where Denny smashed through one of three layers of tempered glass that separate the animals from visitors. According to a statement from the zoo, Denny was not injured, and both gorillas in the compound will be cared for behind the scenes until the panel is replaced.
No guests or staff were harmed during the incident, but the impact startled many onlookers. One visitor, Katya Sutil, who was celebrating her birthday at the zoo, described the scene: “We were looking down at our cell phones and didn’t notice that he had taken a running start, jumped, and launched into the glass. He hit it with his elbow or forearm, like right in the glass directly in front of my face.” She added that the crack in the glass was about six feet long.
Zoo officials emphasized that only one of the three protective layers was compromised. The San Diego Zoo has not yet provided a timeline for when the gorilla habitat will reopen to the public. Sutil noted that the gorillas appeared to be taunting each other before the incident, suggesting possible tension between them.
Western lowland gorillas, like Denny, are critically endangered and native to Central Africa. The San Diego Zoo is actively involved in conservation efforts to protect these primates and their natural habitats.
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