Tenerife: A vet accidentally shot a tranquiliser dart into a zookeeper wearing a gorilla suit.
The shooting took place during a drill inside Loro Parque Zoo in Tenerife, Spain, when the veterinarian was apparently unaware that the gorilla on the loose was in fact an employee wearing a suit, agencies reported.
The victim was shot with a tranquiliser dart with a dose meant for a 180-kg ape.
The zookeeper was wearing the costume as part of a drill simulating the escape of a captive animal.
Similar drills are standard procedure at zoos, but it appears the vet was totally unaware of the ongoing exercise and shot the suited employee in the leg.
Serious condition
Due to the massive injection, the zookeeper suffered an allergic reaction. He was then taken to University Hospital of the Canary Islands, where he was reported to be in serious condition.
It's not the first time Loro Parque (Parrot Park) has been rattled by controversies.
The park has been under the public glare over its in treatment of orca whales. On Christmas Eve 2009, a whale attacked and killed a trainer during a practice session, which fanned opponents of orca captivity.
