In brief
On November 12, a two-year-old western lowland gorilla named Eyare suffered fatal injuries at the Calgary Zoo after being hit by a hydraulic door due to a staff error, as confirmed by zoo officials. Eyare was being separated from other gorillas for a vaccination training session when the tragic incident occurred. According to the zoo’s director of animal care, Colleen Baird, the staff member mistakenly activated the wrong door control while trying to isolate Eyare. Efforts to save the young gorilla were unsuccessful, and she succumbed to her injuries shortly after the incident.
Baird expressed that the staff member involved was devastated by the unfortunate event, highlighting that this was not a new employee and that they had experience working with gorillas. To ensure such incidents do not occur again, the staff member will undergo further training before returning to their role in the gorilla enclosure, which is currently home to six other western lowland gorillas. The zoo has extended its condolences and re-emphasized its commitment to animal safety and staff training.
