Dueling Zoos

(Berlin, Germany) Officials at the Berlin Zoo are being criticized for allowing dangerous wild animals to become too comfortable with humans.

Berlin Zoo denied an accusation by the head of Rotterdam Zoo that it had spoiled Bokito, the 11 year-old gorilla who escaped his enclosure and seriously wounded a visitor in the Dutch zoo last Friday.

The 180-kilogram ape was hand-reared in Berlin Zoo and escaped from his cage there too on two occasions, once shinning up a three meter fence and sending vistors racing for the exits, before he was transferred to Rotterdam two years ago.

Last Friday in Rotterdam, Bokito crossed a 3.5-meter ditch, vaulted an electric fence, grabbed a female visitor, broke her arm and bit her more than 100 times before being shot with a tranquilizer dart. Dutch zoo officials said that Bokito was coddled and spoiled by the Berlin Zoo, prompting aggressive behavior towards people.

Berlin Zoo officials did admit that they took Bokito out for walks and to the restaurant for pizza but deny there was any bad upbringing.

And, of course, the question must be asked. What does a 400-pound gorilla eat in a pizza restaurant?