Woman paid horrifying price after making eye contact and smiling at gorilla in enclosure

A woman who loved visiting the zoo in Rotterdam, Netherlands, developed

a habit of stopping by the gorilla enclosure to see a gorilla named Bokito. She had been visiting him regularly since he was just a baby, about four months old.

Over time, she felt like they had formed a special connection. She would smile at him, make eye contact, and even claimed that when she laughed, Bokito would laugh back. She thought they were sharing happy moments together.

But here’s the thing: gorillas don’t see things the way humans do. For Bokito, her constant staring and smiling might not have been friendly gestures.

In the gorilla world, direct eye contact is seen as a challenge or a threat. It’s like someone staring you down in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable or even angry. Bokito likely didn’t understand her intentions, and her behavior might have stressed him out.

One day in 2007, things took a terrifying turn. Bokito managed to escape from his enclosure at the Diergaarde Blijdorp zoo. No one knows exactly how he got out, but once he was free, he went straight for the woman who had been visiting him so often.

He grabbed her, dragged her around, and bit her multiple times, causing serious injuries, including broken bones. She had to be rushed to the hospital.

But Bokito didn’t stop there. After attacking the woman, he stormed into a nearby restaurant, causing chaos and injuring three more people. It was a full-blown rampage. Zookeepers had to act fast to stop him. They used a tranquilizer gun to sedate him and bring the situation under control.

After the incident, people tried to figure out what had caused Bokito to snap. Some reports suggested that children had been throwing rocks at him earlier that day, which might have put him on edge. But when he escaped, his focus seemed to be entirely on the woman who had been visiting him so often. It’s possible that her constant eye contact and smiling, which she thought were friendly, had actually been building up tension for Bokito.

The woman later explained that she had been visiting Bokito about four times a week for years. She even admitted that a zookeeper had warned her not to make eye contact with the gorilla, but she didn’t listen. She believed they had a bond and that Bokito understood her. Sadly, that wasn’t the case.

Experts say that gorillas, especially silverbacks (the dominant males), are very protective of their families. If they feel threatened or challenged—like when someone stares at them—they will defend themselves and their group. Making eye contact with a gorilla is a big no-no because it can trigger an aggressive response. As one website about gorillas explains, “If you want to be peaceful with gorillas, you should avoid eye contact.”

This incident serves as a reminder that wild animals, even those in zoos, are not pets or friends. They have their own instincts and ways of communicating, and humans need to respect that.

One person shared a story on Reddit about working at a zoo and accidentally making eye contact with a silverback gorilla. The gorilla immediately charged at them, slamming against the enclosure and rallying the other gorillas to throw sticks and hay. It was a scary moment that showed just how powerful and unpredictable these animals can be.

In the end, the story of Bokito and the woman is a cautionary tale. While it’s amazing to see animals up close, we have to remember that they are not like us. They have their own rules, and crossing those boundaries can have serious consequences. Zoos are there to help us learn about and appreciate wildlife, but we must always treat animals with respect and keep a safe distance.