A vet shot a zoo employee dressed as a gorilla with a tranquiliser dart after mistaking him for a primate.
The 35-year-old staff member was shot at the Loro Parque Zoo on the Spanish island of Tenerife during a drill to ensure employees had an emergency plan in place in the event of a gorilla escaping.
However, the resident veterinarian had not been told about the training exercise and when he spotted what he believed was a gorilla on the loose he fired the shot – which is designed to sedate 400 pound apes – at the man’s leg.
The zoo said in a statement to MailOnline: “Loro Parque, like all zoos and animal parks, regularly carries out this kind of emergency drill.
“The measure is designed to improve security, emergency procedures, and to train staff who work in these enclosures.”
