Local News

Gorilla at the Houston Zoo Enters Neighboring Enclosure to Visit

By  | 
Tony Maples Photography

 

“The gorilla was never outside animal containment, and guests were not in danger at any time,” Chron.com quotes a statement from the Houston Zoo, reassuring patrons that they weren’t in harm’s way when they visited the zoo on Saturday afternoon. Around 1:00 p.m. that day, Holli the gorilla somehow got into the neighboring enclosure of the Red River Hogs.

Click2Houston.com writes that officials cleared the African Forest area of the zoo on Saturday afternoon to take extra precaution. Also, “No animals were hurt and officials were able to contain the animal without using a tranquilizer.” Strangely, they aren’t sure how Holli made it over to the hog enclosure, which is attached to the gorilla enclosure, but the two creatures are not allowed to inhabit the same area.

Chron.com points out that it was fortunate that no animals were harmed in the ordeal since back in 2015 when the exhibit was first opened, there was some tension between the neighbors. The gorillas and hogs had a “standoff” of sorts, and Holli’s mate even threw some plants over to their enclosure. “The hogs did not respond to that. To them it’s just food,” primate supervisor Jill Moyse told the news. Perhaps the gorillas and hogs have smoothed things over since then.