2-year-old gorilla Eyare died after being struck by mistakenly activated hydraulic door, Calgary zoo confirms | CBC News

Calgary Zoo officials confirmed on Wednesday that the recent death of a two-year-old gorilla last week was an accident resulting from human error.

Eyare, the two-year-old female western lowland gorilla died at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo last week. Zoo officials investigated the death that included internal and external experts, and interviews with staff involved in the incident. 

Around 9 a.m. on Tuesday, a gorilla care team member intended to activate a door that would separate Eyare from other animals for an individual animal training session, Colleen Baird, Wilder Institute director of animal care, health and welfare at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo told reporters on Wednesday. 

The worker mistakenly activated the wrong door resulting in the gorilla being struck by the door and sustaining traumatic head injuries.

More to come