On August 16, 1996, when low-land Gorilla Binti Jua was eight years old,
On August 16, 1996, when low-land Gorilla Binti Jua was eight years old,
a three-year-old boy climbed the wall around the gorilla exhibit and fell 24 feet into the gorilla enclosure below. He suffered a broken hand and a large gash on the side of his face.
a three-year-old boy climbed the wall around the gorilla exhibit and fell 24 feet into the gorilla enclosure below. He suffered a broken hand and a large gash on the side of his face.
Binti walked towards the unconscious boy while spectators screamed. Binti surprised onlookers when she cradled the child and carried him towards her enclosure door. As zookeepers opened the enclosure door she laid the boy down carefully in front of them. Her 17-month-old baby, Koola, clutched her back throughout the incident. The boy spent four days in the hospital and recovered fully. Binti received international media attention from this incident, and, for many months afterwards, received special treats and food from zoo personnel for the love and care she showed to the boy.
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