A gorilla at the San Diego Zoo sprinted toward a viewing area Saturday afternoon, cracking one of the three layers of tempered glass that separate visitors from the habitat.
The incident involved a 10-year-old western lowland gorilla named Denny, according to Zoo officials. He was not injured. Zoo officials said the two gorillas in the enclosure will be cared for behind the scenes while the panel is replaced.
Witnesses describe the moment as terrifying, saying they thought the moment of impact was an earthquake.
"It was pretty scary. There definitely were people there quick though, security guards," Jackie Doubler said, noting that the Zoo "handled the situation well."
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Doubler said the crowd had mixed reactions, some getting out of the area quickly, others running to see what happened.
“If he would hit that glass again, I definitely feel like it would have been a whole different story though," Doubler said.
An animal behavior and bonding expert said the reaction could have been in response to a variety of external stimuli, adding that it's a good reminder to be respectful around wildlife.
“It may not necessarily have been an aggressive reaction; it may have been one of excitement, it may have been one of exploration," Dr. Annie Petersen said.
This story was originally published by Jermaine Ong at the Scripps News Group station in San Diego.
