Baby gorilla's death prompts changes at zoo

SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Zoo will retrofit the doors of its 30-year-old gorilla enclosure after the death of a baby gorilla, officials said.

The changes were recommendations by an expert hired by the zoo to investigate the death of a 16-month-old gorilla named Kabibe, The San Francisco Chronicle reported Thursday.

The animal died Nov. 7 when she unexpectedly darted under the electric door as it closed.

Dr. Terry Maple, a gorilla expert, recommended the zoo update its doors, require two keepers to be in the enclosure when the gorillas are being moved, hire a full-time gorilla specialist, and install a backup generator in the building.

The recommendations allow the zoo to move forward and to "ensure the future of this precious gorilla family and their critically endangered species," zoo Executive Director Tanya Peterson said in a statement.

The doors have a history of mechanical failures, including jamming and unexpectedly collapsing, according to zoo records.

An adult gorilla had her hand caught under a door in July 2012, according to the records cited by The Chronicle.

Last week, five zookeepers came forward with their concerns, saying the young gorilla would still be alive if top zoo officials had responded to their concerns about the safety of the enclosure.

They said the enclosure had a flawed layout, problems with the doors and was understaffed.

"It was a freak accident," said Corey Hallman, one of the animal keepers told The Chronicle. "But with a workplace that takes safety and keeper input more seriously, it could have been prevented."

Zoo officials have said little in the wake of the gorilla death.

Peterson had previously said in a guest editorial in The Chronicle that the U.S. Department of Agriculture routinely inspects the enclosure, and in January found no noncompliant issues.

Only about 750 western lowland gorillas live in captivity and roughly 100,000 live in the wild in Central Africa.