Going ape! Crazed chimp runs amok and throws food at staff after escaping

By Daily Mail Reporter


On the rampage: Josie in a calmer moment. The 23-year-old chimpanzee looted the zoo kitchen, where staff prepare the animals' food


A chimpanzee who escaped her enclosure went on the rampage stealing food from the zoo's kitchen, stunning staff and visitors.

In a scene which could have come straight from the new film Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, female chimp Josie barricaded herself in the kitchen, hurled food at staff and smashed pots at Twycross Zoo in Atherstone, Warwickshire.

It took staff 40 minutes to calm down the 23-year-old chimpanzee before they were able to coax her back into her enclosure.


Despite the beast going on the rampage, staff have insisted the public were never at risk after Josie escaped.

A zoo spokeswoman said: 'Josie decided she wanted an extra snack and managed to get into the back kitchen area within the chimpanzee building, where her food is usually prepared.

'We are not entirely sure how she managed it but a full investigation is under way.

'The team at Twycross Zoo does regular drills so we are well equipped to cope with any emergency that arises.

'We followed our emergency protocols and everything went according to plan.

Escape: The chimp enclosure at Twycross Zoo. Staff have insisted that the animal did not pose any threat to the public or zoo workers


'Twycross Zoo prides itself on taking great care of both our visitors and animals and therefore handled the situation with the utmost diligence.

'At no time were either Josie or the public in any danger.'

Josie, who was born at the zoo in 1988, was described as 'normally very mild-mannered' by a worker, who added: 'She obviously had trouble on her mind last Wednesday.

'Her keepers were joking that she heard about the riots in the rest of the country and fancied looting a bit of grub for herself.

Just like the movies: A scene from the new film Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes


'Sadly, she didn't find any bananas but she caused a few problems for staff.'

Just last week it emerged that Charla Nash, the woman who had her face ripped off by a chimpanzee in 2009, had successfully been given a face transplant following the horrific attack.

The movie The Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, which was released last week, is a prequel to the original Planet Of The Apes film which shows how the animals take over the human race.


source:dailymail