A stunning video shows a large gorilla crashing into a wall of its enclosure at a California zoo, breaking part of a thick glass panel while onlookers looked on in shock.
Denny, a 10-year-old western lowland gorilla, managed to break one of the three layers of tempered glass at the San Diego Zoo’s Gorilla Forest habitat on Saturday, as confirmed by zoo officials.
Footage released by news outlets captured Denny leaping at the glass wall, causing onlookers to gasp and scream in surprise. After the incident, pictures showed a crowd gathering to examine the damaged panel.
Fortunately, Denny was unharmed, and staff will ensure he and the other gorillas remain well cared for during the repairs to the enclosure.
Denny had previously shared his space with siblings, including his younger brother Maka, who sadly died in August at 30 due to heart disease, as announced by the zoo.
Dr. Erin Riley, an anthropology professor at San Diego State University, suggested that Denny’s behavior might stem from several factors, including his grief over his late brother.
“Gorillas, particularly males, sometimes display ‘charging’ as a way to show off,” Riley explained. “It’s hard to say, since I wasn’t there, but perhaps something provoked that behavior.”
“Gorillas typically dislike direct eye contact, which often confuses zoo visitors,” she added.
Though Denny might have just been playful, Riley speculated that his attention could have been drawn to the crowd in a way that felt somewhat threatening.
Western lowland gorillas are regarded as the largest primates, with adult males weighing as much as 500 pounds, as noted on the zoo’s website. This species faces endangerment due to the loss of their habitat in Central Africa.
The San Diego Zoo has not responded to requests for further comments on the incident.
