Gorilla seriously injures keeper at Madrid Zoo

A keeper with 19 years experience has been left seriously injured at Madrid Zoo after an unprovoked gorilla attack.

In a statement, the zoo said the 46-year-old employee went into the "bounded area with a triple door" for routine feeding and cleaning at about 10am on Sunday, when a 29-year-old male animal, named Malabo, attacked them.

“The reasons why the animal was able to access the area are being investigated internally,” the zoo said on its Facebook page, before adding there would also be a “judicial investigation" to determine exactly what happened.

Fellow zoo staff were able to intercept and “remove the animal”, who has since been anaesthetised by a veterinary team using a tranquilliser dart, placed in his “interior bedroom” and is now “calm”, according to the statement.

While wishing their employee a “speedy recovery”, the zoo also took time to underline Malabo’s protective nature.

“We would like to note that Malabo has been raised by his caregivers since he was born,” the statement said. He is very protective of the group he belongs to and is normally very close to staff of the zoo, it continued.

The injured keeper has now been transferred to the San Carlos Clinical Hospital with head trauma, chest trauma, multiple fractures in the thorax and open fractures in several limbs, according to ABC Spain.

Malabo reportedly weighs 200kg (440lbs).

Multiple videos posted by Madrid emergency services showed paramedics carrying a stretcher, while ambulance and police cars were also at the scene.

Some Madrid residents have taken to Twitter to point the finger at the zoo’s supposedly inadequate privisions.

One user wrote: “I hope the caretaker recovers but we should consider the facilities of Madrid Zoo, this animal looked sad. The enclosures are very small.”

She finished by suggesting “more adequate and cleaner facilities”.

The zoo is said to have kept its doors closed to awaiting crowds on Sunday, until the injured staff member was evacuated safely, citing technical difficulties as the cause for delay.

Madrid police have now taken over the investigation of the accident.

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