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Staring down an angry silverback gorilla is not where anyone wants to be — but a Fort Worth zookeeper did, and the terrifying scene was all captured by zoo patrons.
The video has blown up on TikTok, and it’s easy to see why — Elmo, a 34-year-old male silverback, charged out of a cave-like part of his enclosure heading straight for one of the keepers.
The employee was able to throw a large tin pan, or bucket, as a distraction for Elmo … as she bolted toward a door. As she holds it open for a few seconds, she’s now locked eyes with the massive ape … and they appear to be in a silent, but tense standoff.
Adding to the drama is the fact a second zookeeper was standing just a few feet away from the gorilla … hiding behind a tree.
The video was captured by former zoo security officer, Ben White, according to WFAA. He told the outlet, the second zoo worker was trying to play a “fun” game of hide and go seek with Elmo … to distract him from charging at the other employee.
The ploy worked, as Elmo eventually calmed down and, later, he even held up the tin pan … seemingly trying to return it to the employees.
White says he actually shot the video several months ago, but it’s just now caught fire on social media.
Fort Worth Zoo says the 2 keepers didn’t know Elmo was still free in the enclosure when they entered — but their tactics worked perfectly. There was never any physical contact between Elmo and the keepers … and no one got hurt.
Zoo officials said, “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.”