Inspection Detail

Inspection: 120047642 - La City Los Angeles Zoo

Inspection Information - Office: Los Angeles District Office

Investigation Summary

On January 28, 1998, Employee #1, a zookeeper, entered the holding area for powerful animals to check on an orangutan that was sitting on the floor. This was unusual behavior for these animals and, as she stooped down to speak to the ape, she held onto the chain-link fence between them. The orangutan grabbed her finger and bit the tip, requiring subsequent amputation below the nail bed. Employee #1 had worked with the orangutans for the previous seven years. The day before the accident, they had been tranquilized and moved from the cage where they had lived for 15 years. Apparently, the animals were very agitated when they recovered from the tranquilizer darts and found themselves in a different environment.

Keywords: AMPUTATED, FINGER, ANIMAL HANDLER, ANIMAL BITE