How did London Zoo gorilla escape if it didn't break glass? Five theories behind Kumbuka's dramatic freedom bid

London Zoo has admitted this morning that giant silverback gorilla Kumbuka did NOT break glass when it made its dramatic bid for freedom.

It was widely reported that the 29stone silverback ape escaped its enclosure yesterday evening - causing around 100 panicked visitors to the attraction to lock themselves in buildings for safety - by charging at the glass and managing to break it.

After around two hours staff with tranquiliser guns managed to subdue it and get it back inside.

However London Zoo's Senior Curator of Mammals, Malcolm Fitzpatrick, insisted this morning: "Categorically I can say that our male silverback gorilla, Kumbuka, didn’t break through the glass."

In a sensational row broadcast live on Radio 4's Today programme he refused - when asked six times - to say how the gorilla he described as a "gentle giant" did manage to get out of the £5.3million enclosure.

Mirror Online put to London Zoo this morning a claim by a source working at the zoo that a keeper had left a door open but its spokesman said: "It's not confirmed how the incident occured.

"The investigation is underway. We have no updates."

The spokesman said he couldn't say how long the investigation is due to last - or which individual was leading it, other that it would be led by the zoo - and that Mr Fitzpatrick was not available for interview.

He added that during the incident the gorilla remained with the "exhibit off-show area" but when pressed what that meant exactly, they couldn't comment on the enclosure design.

The Evening Standard claimed that a source told it that the ape escaped after a door between the public viewing area and service pen was left open.

“Every enclosure has a gated area which is off-limits to the public to stop animals running straight past when the door is opened,” the source said.

“That door shouldn’t have been left open.”




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