CALGARY, Alberta — “Human error” resulted in the death of a 2-year-old female western lowland gorilla at a Canadian zoo.
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Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo said that a caretaker was trying to activate a door to separate the gorilla, Eyare, from other members of the group for a training session.
The caretaker mistakenly activated the wrong door, resulting in Eyare being hit by the door and suffering deadly injuries.
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The zoo said they are immediately taking corrective and preventive measures including training the gorillas to keep a safe distance from the doors, making sure staff can easily tell what door they are closing, and alternatives to the zoo’s hydraulic door system.
The caretaker who was responsible for the death was immediately removed from the workplace and must complete additional training before they can work with animals again, the zoo said.
“Eyare’s short but impactful 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,” Colleen Baird, Director of Animal Care, Health and Welfare said.
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