Franklin Park Zoo officials, having endured the violent escape of a gorilla four years ago, reacted guardedly to the deadly Christmas Day escape of a tiger in San Francisco, offering reassurances that their zoo is safe.
"At Zoo New England, the well-being of our visitors, staff, and animals is our top priority, and we have extensive safety procedures in place," read a written statement. "Additionally, we perform ongoing inspections of all of our animal enclosure systems to protect against escape."
Zoo New England, parent company to Franklin Park Zoo, made headlines in 2003 when a gorilla named Little Joe escaped from his exhibit and attacked 2-year-old Nia S. Scott and her babysitter, Courtney Roberson, then 18, and an off-duty zoo worker. Scott sustained cuts and bruises in the attack.
Little Joe then caused panic in the neighborhood near the zoo for two hours, roaming the streets before police subdued him with tranquilizer darts. In September a jury found five zoo caretakers liable for Scott's injuries and awarded the girl $175,000.
Little Joe remained out of the public eye until February, when zoo officials unveiled a $2.3 million gorilla exhibit space fortified with triple-layer glass and a steel mesh roof, which Zoo New England's president, John Linehan, called a "standard-setter" that would be used as a model by other zoos.
In addition to its tight security measures - no openings between the glass, concrete, and steel mesh barriers - the exhibit is larger and provides concrete rocks and sculpted trees where the zoo's seven gorillas can climb.
Linehan could not be reached for comment yesterday. The statement did not mention any special precautions being taken with the two tigers the zoo acquired last year.
A statement released by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, based in Washington, D.C., said the organization's accreditation standards require safety and emergency protocols that go beyond federal, state, and local requirements.
"Safety is number one in any zoo," said Bill Sampson, head zookeeper at Buttonwood Park Zoo in New Bedford, an AZA accredited facility.
The zoo does safety drills every month, practicing what to do in a worst-case scenario.
"It does happen, unfortunately," Sampson said. "It's always a possibility."
Laura Dunn, public relations manager for the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, stressed that exhibits are built and designed to prevent escapes.
"In the event that it does happen, we have a safety and recapture protocol in place," she said.
Roger Williams Park Zoo has three recapture kits, Dunn said, and staff members are drilled regularly on emergency procedures.
The kits contain a firearm "for life or death situations" and gear to sedate an escaped animal, Dunn said.
