A Man In A Gorilla Suit Was Mistaken For A Gorilla And Shot With Tranquiliser Dart

It’s not something that we thought we’d have to clarify, but if you’re wearing a gorilla suit, make sure you don’t get mistaken for a gorilla, or you might get shot with a tranquiliser dart.

Why am I bringing this up now? Oh, no reason — except that this exact scenario played out at a zoo in Tenerife, Canary Islands, earlier this week.

As reported by The Dodo, the staff of Los Parque zoo were running a drill to practice dealing with escaped animals.  A zoo employee was playing the role of an escaped gorilla, and we can only assume that he nailed the part, because a vet spotted him and, either forgetting all about the drill or perhaps nursing a long-standing grudge against his co-worker, popped him in the leg with a tranquiliser gun.

So far, so slapstick, but it’s worth remembering that a tranquiliser dart is designed to put a 150 kilogram adult gorilla out of commission. The human body isn’t really wired to handle that much sedative, and the unfortunate employee is currently recovering in hospital.

Now, I know it’s unlikely, but here’s a quick refresher, just in case you find yourself in a similar situation:

Very good! What about this?

Yes! One more. Beware, this is a tricky one…

Be safe out there, guys.

–