Gorilla Captured After Escaping Enclosure At London Zoo

Zoo keepers and police have tranquillised and captured a gorilla housed in London Zoo after it escaped its enclosure earlier today.

Staff armed with tranquilisers were said to be roaming the zoo following the ape's escape, with members of the public locked into zoo buildings for their own safety and warned not to venture outside.

Armed police were also called to the zoo and prior to the recapture, Scotland Yard said: "Police were called by security at Regent's Park at 5.17pm to reports of an ongoing incident.

"Officers are there to support ZSL staff."

An email sent to London Zoo staff at 5.15pm warned them to stay inside: "An animal emergency incident is currently being managed on the London Zoo site. All staff are instructed to remain within buildings and not to venture out until the all clear has been given.

"If any member of your team is away from their desk and in the zoo grounds, please make every effort to contact them via DECT or mobile phone and alert them to the emergency. Thank you for your co-operation."

The escaped gorilla is thought to be the zoo's silverback Kumbuka, although this is yet to be officially confirmed.

London Zoo gorilla's colony is led by male silverback Kumbuka who parented his first offspring a baby girl named Alika, which means "most beautiful," with mate Mjukuu in 2014.

Last year Kumbuka's second offspring, a male called Gernot, was born and the group also includes females Effie and Zaire.

Talking about Kumbuka, an employee at the zoo told Buzzfeed: "He's a fucking psycho, that ape. He's smashed the enclosure glass a couple of times."

In May, zookeepers shot dead Harambe, a gorilla housed in Cincinnati Zoo, after a four-year-old boy fell into its enclosure. A moment that sparked outrage around the world.

Last month a lion was killed at Leipzig zoo in Germany after two male lions, Majo and Motshegetsi, broke out of their enclosure and jumped over a moat.

Following their escape, the lions were found only a short distance from their enclosure. Around 40 zookeepers surrounded them with vehicles and tried to usher them back to their enclose.

They succeeded in returning one of the animals three hours later with the aid of a fence, but the other lion became agitated as they tried to tranquillise it.

Featured image credit: London Zoo

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Topics: Gorilla

James Dawson

James Dawson is a Journalist at LADbible. He has contributed articles to LADbible’s ‘Knowing Me, Knowing EU’ series on the EU referendum, the 'Electoral Dysfunction' series on the 2017 general election, the ‘U OK M8?’ series tackling mental health amongst young men, and for its ‘Climate Change’ initiative in partnership with National Geographic.

@thejaytoday