Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Wounded gorilla teaches thief a lesson in jungle law

Mary Braid
Friday 18 July 1997 18:02 EDT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

In the crime wave engulfing South Africa nothing is sacred and, yesterday, "the gorilla got it" in a shoot-out at Johannesburg Zoo.

In a city where car hijacks and armed robbery have become a daily fact of life, even Max, a 190kg primate, cannot take his security for granted. The gorilla was chilling out with his girlfriend Lisa yesterday morning when an armed robber leapt into their zoo enclosure.

The intruder was hotly pursued by four pistol-toting police officers who had chased him from a luxury home in the wealthy suburb of Saxonwold, adjacent to the zoo, after responding to a reported break-in.

The hapless criminal crossed a safety moat - and met with Max - in a last desperate attempt to evade arrest. But the second trespass of the day was the more ill-advised.

In a first that delighted an army of human crime-victims, the tables turned: it was the robber, not the householder, who was terrified. Max was so incensed at the man's rude appearance on his patch that he immediately attacked him. In the fracas that followed the robber shot Max in the face but, despite his wounds, the furious gorilla just kept on coming.

According to Mark Reynolds, a police inspector, the robber was only saved by the "heroic actions" of the officers, two of whom were mauled by the gorilla. Max, eventually subdued by tranquilliser darts, underwent surgery to remove bullets from his jaw. He was given a clean bill of health last night and returned home to Lisa. The robber, shot by officers in the thigh, was in hospital, and two policemen were being treated for gorilla bites to their arms and buttocks.

"Max was probably trying to protect Lisa," explained Jaqui Thompson, spokesman for the zoo. Ms Thompson was as appalled as any victim's friend could be. "It's just terrible," she said of Max's injuries. "Our reaction is shock, disbelief, horror, anger."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in