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Gorilla's deadly long jump spurs zoo redesigns.
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Zoo authorities say they believe that Jabari, a western lowland gorilla who escaped from his enclosure at the Dallas Zoo in March made a long jump that was and unexpected feat for a gorilla.
Dallas, A cheetah could do it. So could a chimpanzee. But no one expected a stocky, knuckle dragging 340 pound gorilla to leap across a 12 wide moat and a wall that separated him from visitors at the Dallas Zoo. But zoo investigators say that is exactly what happened the day 13 year old Jabari escaped and went ton a 40 minute rampage in March, snatching a toddler with his teeth and injuring three other people before being shot to death by officers.
The gorilla's flying leap has astounded primate experts and is leading some to rethink the design of the gorilla exhibits at the nations zoos. "All it does is give you pause and you think, "This may be one championship gorilla here, but I've got to be careful beaus maybe I've got one too," Said Terry L. Maple, former director of Zoo Atlanta for 17 years, who has written about gorilla behavior.
At the Dallas Zoo, animals in the gorilla enclosure ae roughly at visits eye level. Zoo officials who conducted a three month investigation announced this week that they believed Jabari got a running start and sailed over the trench., clearing the 14 foot wall and an electrical wire atop it that is supposed to give a mild shock. Some experts speculate Jabari may have been doing a "Display run," a showy charge that younger male gorillas perform for females or audiences. Others say he could have been motivated by fear, anger or desire to breed.
Dallas Zoo officials said they believe he leaped because they could not find evidence of human error, such as open doors, or any objects that could have aided his escape. Zoo director Rich Buickerood said, "We still have not had anyone come forward yet to say they actually witnessed the event." As a result, some experts are a bit skeptical that the gorilla made such a leap.
Jabari's escape moved the zoo to remove the exhibit where younger gorillas stay, raising the walls to at least 15 feet, adding "gorilla speed bumps" to break up long, flat stretches and installing "hot vines," electric wires that resemble plants. Everybody who knows anything about gorillas is concerned about this, and everybody should be re-evaluating their safety mechanisms as we speak," Maple said.
Before Jabaris escape, a 12 foot wide moat wa considered an adequate barrier, said Dan Where on, director of the Central Park Zoo and chairmen on the AMerican Zoo and Aquarium Associations Gorilla Species Survival Plan. Gorillas, although powerful , quick, agile in the trees and believed by some experts to be as intelligent as chimpanzees, are heavy boned and were thought to lack the ability to leap long distances. "I think we probably have underestimated the ability of these animals," Maple said. "I''m not saying he did it, but if he did do it, it was a tremendous feat of athleticism that heretofore was not known to this species."
Karen Killmar, associate curator of mammals at the San Diego Zoo, said zoos will adapt to whatever changes are ordered. She noted that change is part of the game in keeping wild animals. "The one thing in this business: You never say it's impossible," Killmar said. "Just about the time you say, "No an animal can't do that," it's happen."
By Lisa Falkenberg/Associated Press
Erich Schlegel/Associated Press File Photo
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