“This tragedy touched us all.” The gorilla died due to human error

A two-year-old lowland gorilla named Eyare died last week at the Calgary Zoo in Canada. A zoo employee accidentally activated the hydraulic hinges, which hit the animal in the head, the zoo wrote on Wednesday in a statement quoted by CNN. The accident occurred when the handler tried to separate a young female from the rest of the herd in order to conduct individual medical training with her. According to the station, Eyare died as a result of head injuries.

“This tragedy has affected all of us in the most profound way imaginable,” Colleen Baird, director of animal care at the Calgary Zoo, said at a news conference. – Eyare's short life brought us so much joy and we will all miss her greatly. We will do everything in our power to prevent future such incidents, she added.

Baird said the offending employee was immediately transferred to another area of ​​the zoo. Zoo officials said they would implement preventive measures – including specialized staff training and behavioral training for animals – to avoid another such incident in the future.

The Animal Justice Legislative Fund, a Canadian nonprofit organization advocating for the humane treatment of animals, called on authorities to conduct an independent investigation into animal safety and supervision at the facility in Alberta.

– The Calgary Zoo appears to have a higher rate of animal deaths compared to other zoos. In light of Eyare's death, an investigation should be conducted to examine the zoo's actions and practices, Camille Labchuk, the organization's director, told CNN.

The Calgary Zoo has denied allegations that it has a higher rate of animal deaths compared to other zoos. Zoo officials emphasize that they adhere to operational standards and have been accredited by the independent Accreditation Commission of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums since 1978. Baird said at a news conference that the use of hydraulic hinges is “common practice in accredited zoos,” but the facility will consider switching to an alternative door to improve safety.

This is not the first case of an animal dying in this zoo from causes other than natural ones. In 2016, an otter drowned after becoming entangled in pants that a keeper had dropped in its enclosure. In 2009, a capybara was accidentally crushed by hydraulic hinges.