Posted on 06/09/2014 2:00:25 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Vet mistakenly shoots zookeeper wearing gorilla suit during escape drill
A gorilla hides behind a tree at the Loro Parque Zoo in Puerto de La cruz in Spain's Canary Island of Tenerife in this April 15, 2008 file photo.
Tenerife: A vet accidentally shot a tranquiliser dart into a zookeeper wearing a gorilla suit.
The shooting took place during a drill inside Loro Parque Zoo in Tenerife, Spain, when the veterinarian was apparently unaware that the gorilla on the loose was in fact an employee wearing a suit, agencies reported.
The victim was shot with a tranquiliser dart with a dose meant for a 180-kg ape. The zookeeper was wearing the costume as part of a drill simulating the escape of a captive animal.
Similar drills are standard procedure at zoos, but it appears the vet was totally unaware of the ongoing exercise and shot the suited employee in the leg. Due to the massive injection, the zookeeper suffered an allergic reaction. He was then taken to University Hospital of the Canary Islands, where he was reported to be in serious condition.
It's not the first time Loro Parque (Parrot Park) has been rattled by controversies.
The park has been under the public glare over its in treatment of orca whales. On Christmas Eve 2009, a whale attacked and killed a trainer during a practice session, which fanned opponents of orca captivity.
Trading Places
I would sue the company that manufactured the dart.
No real reason; I just would.
Because I’m an American, dammit!
Have you met Lazamataz yet?
If he survives...man what a story. He;ll drink free for the rest of his life.//. though I would not wanna be the vet that tranked him.
One time at band camp ...
NO, they shot him on purpose.
The ‘accident’ was they were uninformed/incompetent about the situation.
I have a hard time believing this was an accident. A vet can’t tell a real gorilla from a fake gorilla?
Which hasn't changed, now that he is a US Senator.
“A vet can’t tell a real gorilla from a fake gorilla?”
When all you have is a tranquilizer gun...
That’s the luck of the Irish ...
Hate to be a kill joy (but this is about the third time this has been posted) the story has been corrected:
UPDATE (9:09 a.m. June 6): According to a newer statement released by Loro Parque Zoo, the employee in question was not actually wearing a gorilla suit during the drill, but was shot accidentally by the vet after the alarm was raised.
Yea that does seem rather odd. Either that or there are some pretty incompetent ...well, it is a socialist hellhole so hes probably government appointed.
"Is it Nature or is it Nurture?"
"$1.00"
Please post Jim Belushi in Trading Places.
LOL.
Ban tranquiliser guns!
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