SAN DIEGO, Oct 14:  A 10-year-old western lowland gorilla named Denny broke one layer of protective glass in its enclosure at the San Diego Zoo on Saturday, zoo officials confirmed.

The incident took place on October 11 in the gorilla forest habitat, where Denny shattered one of the three tempered glass layers separating the animals from visitors. Another gorilla was also present in the enclosure at the time.

The zoo stated that Denny was unharmed during the incident. Both gorillas will remain off public view until the damaged panel is replaced.

Zoo representatives emphasized that the protective glass barrier consists of three layers, with only one layer damaged, and assured that no visitors or staff were injured.

Witnesses described the event as startling. Katya Sutil, who was celebrating her birthday at the zoo with her sister, recounted, “We were looking down at our cell phones and didn’t notice Denny take a running start, jump, and strike the glass with his elbow or forearm, right in front of me.” She added, “The impact jolted me back a few feet. When I looked up, I made eye contact with the gorilla, and then I saw a large crack — about six feet long. It was quite significant.”

No timeline has yet been announced for when the gorilla habitat will reopen to visitors.

Sutil also noted the gorillas’ behavior before the incident, saying, “During the 20 minutes we were there, the gorillas seemed to be taunting each other, charging back and forth, disappearing and reappearing. Maybe there was some tension between them.”

Western lowland gorillas, like Denny, are a critically endangered species native to Central Africa’s forests. The San Diego Zoo actively participates in conservation efforts to protect these primates and their natural environments.

Gorilla breaks glass panel at San Diego Zoo enclosure