This is the moment two female zoo keepers were chased around a gorilla enclosure at Fort Worth Zoo by a 34-year-old Silverback.
One zoo staffer can be seen desperately trying to outpace the Silverback chasing her in a TikTok clip shared online Thursday.
The angry gorilla knocks over a bin of food in his pursuit of the staffer, who hides behind a door in the enclosure.
Visitors to the Texas facility recorded the women’s attempts to flee when the incident happened in October.
Scared for the women, people in the crowd watching in horror started to pray.
A female zoo keeper at the Fort Worth Zoo run from a male Silverback gorilla that charged her after she entered his indoor enclosure in October
The male gorilla was supposed became startled when he saw the two caretakers and charged them
‘Oh my gosh. God help her, God help her, God help her,’ one woman can be heard saying.
‘God protect her. God, animals obey the sound of your voice.’
Other zoo patrons can be heard gasping and joining in asking for divine intervention on the women’s behalf.
‘Every day, the zookeepers shift the gorilla troop into their indoor habitat so that keepers can place the animals’ lunch in their outdoor habitat,’ but that did not happen that day, the zoo told DailyMail.com
‘Due to keeper error, staff entered the yard unaware that the silverback was still in its habitat.’
The presence of the staff startled Elmo, the male silverback, a spokeswoman for the zoo added.
Elmo the gorilla arrived at the zoo several years ago
Scared zoo-goers watched in horror as the zoo staffers calmly found their way to safety after the gorilla charged at them
The Fort Worth Zoo confirms no one was injured as a result of the incident
‘The zookeepers work with and train these animals every day and thanks to their knowledge and expertise, they navigated the situation calmly and were able to exit the yard safely,’ she said.
The second staffer hid behind a tree as the gorilla eyed her, and engaged in a stand off.
Eventually the gorilla backed down, and the second zoo keeper is able to run to safety behind the closed door where the first woman is hiding.
Elmo is a 34-year-old gorilla who arrived in the Lone Star State a few years ago, according to non-profit, Gorilla SSP.
‘Originally born at the Buffalo Zoo and not on Sesame Street, Elmo made his way down to Texas to lead the troop there,’ a 2022 post from the group reveals.
‘After having a son Gus almost 7 years ago, he’s been busy teaching him how to be an awesome silverback like him! We hope your day was as special as you are and your treats as big as the state you live in!’
Elmo fathered a baby girl born last month.
The newborn Jameela, Swahili word beautiful,’ was born premature and is the first primate to be born by c-section at the Fort Worth Zoo.