A 400-pound adult male gorilla escaped from his cage at the Buffalo Zoo on Monday.
A
400-pound
adult
male
gorilla
escaped
from
his
cage
at
the
Buffalo
Zoo
on
Monday
.
He bit a female zookeeper before being caught.
He
bit
a
female
zookeeper
before
being
caught
.
The 24-year-old gorilla came out of his living quarters through an unlocked door on Monday morning.
The
24-year-old
gorilla
came
out
of
his
living
quarters
through
an
unlocked
door
on
Monday
morning
.
He ran into the space which was used by zoo workers but closed to the public.
He
ran
into
the
space
which
was
used
by
zoo
workers
but
closed
to
the
public
.
A keeper who has cared for Koga since he arrived in 2007 was bitten on her hand and leg.
A
keeper
who
has
cared
for
Koga
since
he
arrived
in
2007
was
bitten
on
her
hand
and
leg
.
Zoo officials said it was an act of excitement.
Zoo
officials
said
it
was
an
act
of
excitement
.
"He was probably just as surprised coming face to face with her as she was with him," Buffalo Zoo President Donna Fernandes said.
``
He
was
probably
just
as
surprised
coming
face
to
face
with
her
as
she
was
with
him
,
''
Buffalo
Zoo
President
Donna
Fernandes
said
.
The keeper took refuge inside the habitat of a female gorilla and her newborn baby.
The
keeper
took
refuge
inside
the
habitat
of
a
female
gorilla
and
her
newborn
baby
.
The keeper's decision to lock herself inside the separate habitat likely kept her from being further harmed.
The
keeper
's
decision
to
lock
herself
inside
the
separate
habitat
likely
kept
her
from
being
further
harmed
.
The keeper had a good relationship with the mother who, like Koga, is a west lowland gorilla, native to West Africa and the Congo River Basin, according to Fernandes.
The
keeper
had
a
good
relationship
with
the
mother
who
,
like
Koga
,
is
a
west
lowland
gorilla
,
native
to
West
Africa
and
the
Congo
River
Basin
,
according
to
Fernandes
.
Several locked doors prevented Koga from running wildly through the zoo and beyond.
Several
locked
doors
prevented
Koga
from
running
wildly
through
the
zoo
and
beyond
.
The police sent in a team to make sure the area was safe while a vet used a pipe to sedate Koga.
The
police
sent
in
a
team
to
make
sure
the
area
was
safe
while
a
vet
used
a
pipe
to
sedate
Koga
.
The gorilla was dragged by the zoo staff back to his cage once the drugs took hold.
The
gorilla
was
dragged
by
the
zoo
staff
back
to
his
cage
once
the
drugs
took
hold
.
Visitors to the zoo were moved indoors and stayed there for about 45 minutes while the team was trying to catch the gorilla and send it back to his cage.
Visitors
to
the
zoo
were
moved
indoors
and
stayed
there
for
about
45
minutes
while
the
team
was
trying
to
catch
the
gorilla
and
send
it
back
to
his
cage
.
"That was the scariest thing I've ever done in my career," said the team's captain Mark Maraschiello.
``
That
was
the
scariest
thing
I
've
ever
done
in
my
career
,
''
said
the
team
's
captain
Mark
Maraschiello
.
"It's a 400-pound gorilla.
``
It
's
a
400-pound
gorilla
.
Nobody knew what harm he could do to us.
Nobody
knew
what
harm
he
could
do
to
us
.
He could have bitten my arm off easily," Maraschiello added.
He
could
have
bitten
my
arm
off
easily
,
''
Maraschiello
added
.
A 400-pound adult male gorilla escaped from his cage at the Buffalo Zoo on Monday. He bit a female zookeeper before being caught. The 24-year-old gorilla came out of his living quarters through an unlocked door on Monday morning. He ran into the space which was used by zoo workers but closed to the public.  A keeper who has cared for Koga since he arrived in 2007 was bitten on her hand and leg. Zoo officials said it was an act of excitement. "He was probably just as surprised coming face to face with her as she was with him," Buffalo Zoo President Donna Fernandes said.  The keeper took refuge inside the habitat of a female gorilla and her newborn baby. The keeper's decision to lock herself inside the separate habitat likely kept her from being further harmed. The keeper had a good relationship with the mother who, like Koga, is a west lowland gorilla, native to West Africa and the Congo River Basin, according to Fernandes.  Several locked doors prevented Koga from running wildly through the zoo and beyond. The police sent in a team to make sure the area was safe while a vet used a pipe to sedate Koga. The gorilla was dragged by the zoo staff back to his cage once the drugs took hold.  Visitors to the zoo were moved indoors and stayed there for about 45 minutes while the team was trying to catch the gorilla and send it back to his cage. "That was the scariest thing I've ever done in my career," said the team's captain Mark Maraschiello. "It's a 400-pound gorilla. Nobody knew what harm he could do to us. He could have bitten my arm off easily," Maraschiello added.