Talk about something spooky! Right in time for Halloween too! However, this is not a ghost story, this happened in real life and it was pretty gruesome. A worker at the Cincinnati Zoo got the fright of their life as a chimp took a chunk out of her thumb. Headlines are sweeping across the nation sharing the horror of the zookeeer as a chimp bites off his thumb.
Chimp Bites Off Thumb In Feeding Incident
Although chimps look cute and cuddly, they can be dangerous. This is not the first violent encounter humans have had with chimps. There have been instances of chimps snatching and killing babies, attacking people, and having violent outbursts. While chimpanzee attacks are considered rare, Live Science does share that they can be deadly. "There have been recorded incidents of chimpanzees attacking and killing people."
However, for this zookeeper, he felt she had no reason to fear. After all, he works with this chimps regularly. The zookeeper was making their typical morning rounds, feeding the animals in the Jungle Trails Habitat when the incident occurred. The NY Post reported that "the animal bit through a mesh barrier, resulting in 'partial amputation'" of the employee's thumb.
Although it was a traumatic event, the zookeeper received immediate attention and is now in stable condition.
All About the Bonobo
Shutterstock photo by Ari Wid
The chimp that bit off the thumb is a bonobo chimpanzee. Scientists are discovering that bonobos chimpanzees can be quite aggressive. Research published in Current Biology shares that "male bonobos often do engage in aggressive behavior - even more so than male chimps."
The zoo is speaking up about the attack, arguing that they prioritize "the safety of its employees and animals." While it is admittedly terrifying to witness as a chimp bites off a person's thumb, the zoo insists that all protocols were followed here.
The NY Post writes, "Bonobos are highly intelligent and social primates, and interactions with them involve established protocols and safety procedures." They continued, "At no time were the bonobos outside their habitat and per zoo policy, animal care staff and great apes do not occupy shared spaces."
With that being said, something obviously prompted the animal to attack. The zoo is currently investigating details of the incident to try and gain a better understanding of the events that took place.
