Two zookeepers at the Fort Worth Zoo had a tense encounter with a gorilla when they all inadvertently ended up in his enclosure at the same time. Elmo, a 34-year-old Silverback, showed noticeable interest in their presence, closely following one of the zookeepers as she moved across the enclosure.
A video of the incident, which took place on October 20, 2023, was shared on TikTok. It shows visitors watching anxiously as one zookeeper swiftly makes her way to a door and securely closes it. Meanwhile, the second zookeeper remains watchful, avoiding direct eye contact with Elmo. When the gorilla is distracted, she quickly joins her colleague behind the door.
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The Fort Worth Zoo confirmed the incident in a statement to PEOPLE, explaining that both zookeepers and Elmo remained unharmed. "An incident led to two of our zookeepers sharing space with our 34-year-old silverback gorilla," the zoo representative stated. "Thankfully, there was no physical contact between keepers and gorilla; and all staff and animals are safe."
The zoo explained that the encounter was due to an oversight by the zookeepers. Normally, gorillas are shifted to their indoor habitat while their outdoor habitat is prepared with lunch. On this occasion, however, the zookeepers entered the outdoor habitat without realizing Elmo was still there.
"The zookeepers work with and train these animals every day and thanks to their knowledge and expertise, they navigated the situation calmly and were able to exit the yard safely," the zoo's representative added.
Elmo has been a resident of the Fort Worth Zoo for a few years, having been transferred from the Buffalo Zoo where he was born. Recently, Elmo became a father for the second time at the Fort Worth Zoo, celebrating the arrival of a baby girl named Jameela. He is also the father to two sons, Bruno, aged 3, and Gus, who turned 8 in December.
