A gorilla at a Canadian zoo died after a worker mistakenly activated the wrong door

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Human error led to the death of a young gorilla in Alberta. Canadaaccording to Calgary Zoo officials.
Eyare, a two-year-old western lowland gorilla, died last week after being hit in the head by a hydraulic gate that a staff member accidentally activated, the zoo said statement Wednesday.

The worker was trying to separate Eyare from other members of the gorilla group for solo training.

Eyare is shown in this photo taken at the Calgary Zoo.
Eyare is shown in this photo taken at the Calgary Zoo. (Calgary Zoo/CNN)

The gorilla died from traumatic head injuries, according to the press release.

“This tragedy has hit us all in the deepest possible way,” said Colleen Baird, director of animal care at the Calgary Zoo. press conference.

“Eyare’s short but strong life brought so much joy to our community and she will be greatly missed by all. We will do everything we can to prevent future incidents.”

The staff member involved has been removed from his post immediately and will be transferred to another part of the zoo, Baird said.

The zoo said it will implement preventative measures – including specialized staff training and animal behavior training – to avoid another incident like this in the future.

It is not the first time that an animal in the zoo dies of something other than natural causes. In 2016, otter he drowned after becoming entangled in “unauthorized” pants dropped into the enclosure by a zookeeper. Penguin died in a “freak accident” when she swallowed a stick in 2013. And in 2009, a capybara was also accidentally killed crushed using hydraulic doors.

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Animal Justice, a Canadian non-profit organization that advocates for the humane treatment of animals, called for an independent investigation into animal safety and oversight at the Alberta facility.

“The Calgary Zoo appears to have a higher rate of animal deaths compared to other zoos, and in light of Eyare’s death, there should be a systematic review of the zoo’s operations and practices, conducted transparently by the government or another party,” Camille said. Labchuk, executive director of the non-profit organization. CNN has requested additional comment.

The Calgary Zoo has denied claims that they have a higher animal mortality rate compared to other zoos, noting that they adhere to operational standards and have been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ independent accrediting commission since 1978.

“We love and care for the more than 4,000 animals representing over 100 species that call our zoo home,” a Calgary Zoo spokesperson said in a statement to CNN. “Animal deaths caused by human error are extremely rare. In the past 10 years, we have experienced two such losses — a North American river otter in 2016 and ‘Eyare’ last week. Although uncommon, even one human-caused mortality is also one of many such tragic incidents they were used as critical learning opportunities, which forced us to review and strengthen protocols to support the highest standards of care.”

Using hydraulic doors is “common practice in accredited zoos,” Baird said at a news conference, but the facility will explore switching to an alternative door to improve safety.

The Calgary Zoo, launched in 2021 by the conservation organization Wilder Institute, cares for more than 4,000 animals, including 6 other western lowland gorillas.

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