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Curious Gorilla Forces Temporary Closing Of NC Zoo Exhibit

Cell phone video posted to YouTube Sunday showed a female gorilla at the North Carolina Zoo using a branch to reach top of the exhibit over the weekend. Zoo officials say a limb, likely loosened by Saturday storms, fell into the gorilla exhibit Sunday afternoon. The limb formed a makeshift ladder which a young female climbed to reach the top of the wall. The gorilla never left the exhibit.

Tom Gillespie with the NC Zoo says that keepers routinely check the exhibit each morning to ensure against such incidents. He says the limb likely fell into the exhibit after the check were conducted.
The lowland gorilla exhibit was closed on Monday and possibly Tuesday.
Horticulturists are being brought in to check overhanging trees for more loose limbs.

Zoo visitor Erica Bullins posted the video to YouTube.  In the description, she says "looking back, probably should've just got out of there, but was completely caught up in the moment."
She said she ended up calling 911 because she did not have a direct number to anyone at the zoo.

Editor's Note: The video has been taken off the free net by someone who thinks they have copyright when they do not. You can still see the view video through the link.