Woodland Park zoo keeper hospitalized after orangutan bite during training
Apr 1, 2025, 8:26 AM
An orangutan plays on a rotating tree trunk in its enclosure. (Photo: Daniel Bockwoldt, Getty Images)
(Photo: Daniel Bockwoldt, Getty Images)
An animal keeper at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle was bitten by an orangutan and had to be treated at a local hospital over the weekend.
While the injury was not life-threatening, according to the zoo, the employee suffered a serious injury to their hand. The orangutan reportedly bit the staffer through a mesh barrier during a routine training session.
“We are very saddened our team member was injured and know this has been a very stressful and difficult experience for them and the rest of our Animal Care team,” Alejandro Grajal, the Woodland Park Zoo CEO and president, said in a prepared statement. “We are in contact with the animal keeper and will do all we can to support them as they heal.”
The orangutan is safe, unharmed, and behaving appropriately after a veterinarian did an exam. The orangutan was able to remain in its habitat.
“The orangutan care team will continue to provide training and routine care for each orangutan to maintain normalcy and will closely monitor the animals,” Dr. Luis Neves, senior director of animal care at the Woodland Park Zoo, said in an official statement.
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