In brief
The Calgary Zoo's Eyare, a two-year-old gorilla, died from traumatic injuries after being struck by a hydraulic door that was mistakenly activated by a staff member during a vaccination training session. The employee involved has expressed profound remorse over the incident.
In a heartbreaking incident at the Calgary Zoo in Alberta, Canada, a two-year-old western lowland gorilla named Eyare died after being hit by a hydraulic door on November 12. According to zoo officials, the staff member was attempting to segregate Eyare from other gorillas for a vaccination training session when the tragic event unfolded.Eyare had been playing and interacting with other gorillas in an enclosure designated for their feeding and training when the door incident occurred. Colleen Baird, the zoo's director of animal care, detailed that while one door was meant to be closed, the staff member mistakenly activated a different control lever, resulting in the door closing on Eyare as she passed through.Immediately following the collision, zoo staff attempted lifesaving measures, but Eyare succumbed to her injuries shortly after 9:30 a.m. Colleen Baird described the staff member involved as “devastated” by the incident. She confirmed that this was not a new employee and emphasized their experience in working with gorillas.As a result of the incident, the staff member will undergo additional training before returning to their duties in the gorilla area, which currently houses six other western lowland gorillas. The zoo is grappling with the emotional fallout of this tragic event as it reflects on the safety protocols surrounding animal care and staff responsibilities.
