Well, that wasn’t in the brochure. Visitors at the San Diego Zoo got more than their overpriced popcorn and souvenir mugs bargained for when a 10-year-old western lowland gorilla named Denny decided to test the limits of his enclosure, literally. In what sounds like the opening scene of a Planet of the Apes sequel, Denny launched himself elbow-first into the thick glass wall separating him from zoo guests and actually managed to crack it. That’s right. He shattered the first layer of protective glass, sending nearby visitors into a well-deserved state of panic.
Eyewitness video captured the heart-stopping moment a gorilla rushed the glass at a viewing enclosure in San Diego Zoo, leaving it cracked and startling bystanders. pic.twitter.com/uUSl1E7Zu6
— ABC News (@ABC) October 14, 2025
In front of people at the San Diego Zoo, a gorilla broke through one of three layers of glass that separates them from visitors. The zoo said the gorilla habitat will remain closed for now until the glass can be replaced.
WATCH https://t.co/FymyQ6Br8M pic.twitter.com/SS1gbyUCFI
— FOX 5 San Diego (@fox5sandiego) October 13, 2025
Now, before PETA and the CNN news ticker get going, let’s clarify: the glass panel is made up of three layers, and only one layer was breached. No gorillas escaped, no tourists were harmed, and no bananas were thrown in protest. According to zoo officials, both Denny and his roommate were unharmed and are now being kept behind the scenes while a new panel gets installed. Probably with a little extra reinforcement this time.
Katya Sutil, who happened to be celebrating her birthday at the zoo when Denny decided to go full WWE, described the moment like a jump scare from a horror movie. “We were looking down at our cell phones and didn’t notice that he had taken a running start, jumped and launched into the glass,” she said. “He hit it with his elbow or forearm, like right in the glass directly in front of my face.” That’ll make you put the phone down real quick. According to her, the crack spanned six feet across the glass. Yeah, that’s a hard no from me.
She also mentioned the gorillas were already acting fired up before the glass-breaking moment. “The gorillas were going back and forth, kind of taunting each other,” she said. So, maybe Denny was more interested in settling some personal gorilla drama and the glass just happened to get in the way. Either way, it sounds like tensions were high.
The enclosure is closed for now, and there’s no set timeline for reopening. Zoo officials are investigating the incident and evaluating the safety of the enclosure. Western lowland gorillas, like Denny, are critically endangered, and the San Diego Zoo plays a role in their conservation. But for now, Denny’s off exhibit, probably cooling down and thinking about what he’s done.
Or maybe he’s just out back doing pushups, waiting for round two.
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