Gorilla escapes and seizes woman at Dutch zoo

A GORILLA weighing 30 stone escaped from its enclosure and ran amok in a Netherlands zoo yesterday, biting one woman, dragging her around, and causing scenes of panic among dozens of families before being subdued.

The Diergaarde Blijdorp zoo was evacuated and the 11-year old gorilla, named Bokito, was eventually barricaded inside a restaurant, shot with a sedative dart and recaptured.

It was not clear how the black-backed male managed to climb the high stone walls surrounding his enclosure, and across a moat.

“He went at full speed through tables and diners at the Oranje restaurant,” zoo director Ton Dorrestijn told reporters.

Eyewitness Robert de Jonge did not see the simian escape, but saw people running and screaming words to the effect that an escaped gorilla had grabbed a woman — and he tried to help.

“I saw the beast running through the park with a woman behind, and him grabbing her forearm,” he said.

The gorilla lay down near the woman and then he heard her scream.

“He bit her, or I think he bit her, because when he stood up his mouth was covered in blood,” De Jonge said.

Four other people were injured in the incident.

Police traced the gorilla to a restaurant terrace in the zoo, which was packed with visitors as many Dutch took advantage of a national holiday.

Photos from the scene showed children cowering in their parents’ arms as the gorilla loped past.

“All the people ran outside the restaurant, and zoo personnel were able to keep the animal inside by barricading the doors with garden furniture and things.”