Gorilla Escaped + Bit Zookeeper At Buffalo Zoo Is Wild, Crazy Story

“The scariest thing I’ve ever done", is how one SWAT team member described this wild situation at the Buffalo Zoo. A 400-pound gorilla escaped his cage and bit a zookeeper in the process at the Buffalo Zoo 10 years ago this month.

Every Thursday we tell you a throwback story from Buffalo that is over-the-top, wild, or straight-up just a strange story that has happened over the years. Last week, we told you about that alligator that someone let loose in the Scajaquada Creek in Buffalo, New York and by the time it was finally captured days later, became quite the national story. 

There was a 24-year-old gorilla named Koga, living at the Buffalo Zoo and someone left a door open and he got out. When the gorilla came face to face with the zookeeper, who has taken care of her for her entire life, Koga bit the zookeeper in the calf and the hand.

The zookeeper went to go hide in another habitat where there was another gorilla taking care of a newborn, but the zookeeper felt comfortable and safe with them.

Zoo officials got everyone who was at the zoo inside the buildings and was told they could not move until the situation was taken care of.

The vet for the Buffalo Zoo tried using a handheld blowpipe to sedate Koga while the Buffalo SWAT team came to help. It took about 15 minutes before the sedation kicked in, but once it did, he was dragged back to his habitat by officials and zookeepers. It's important to note that Koga never got out of the zoo grounds and the people that were at the zoo were released from all of the buildings, where they were waiting in safety, about 45 minutes later.