San Diego Zoo: Terrifying moment massive gorilla smashes glass wall of zoo enclosure, visitors flee

In a heart-stopping moment, a massive gorilla launched itself at the glass of its zoo enclosure, cracking the barrier and sending terrified onlookers running for their lives.

Denny, a 10-year-old western lowland gorilla at the San Diego Zoo, was caught on camera charging full speed toward the glass wall of his habitat on Saturday afternoon before slamming into it with astonishing force.

The impact splintered one layer of the three-tiered tempered glass, shocking families who screamed and bolted from the Gorilla Forest enclosure as the sound echoed through the exhibit.

Others froze in disbelief, with some edging forward to gape at the fractured panel, unable to believe what they had just seen.

Visitor Jackie Doubler said, “It literally felt like an earthquake before we realised that that was just him hitting the glass.

“It was pretty scary. There definitely were people there quick though, security guards. The zoo handled the situation well.”

“If he would hit that glass again, I definitely feel like it would have been a whole different story though,” she added.

The San Diego Zoo later confirmed to the New York Post that Denny was unhurt and that only one of the three layers of safety glass had been damaged.

Eyewitness video captured the heart-stopping moment a gorilla rushed the glass at a viewing enclosure.

Both Denny and another gorilla sharing the enclosure have since been moved to an off-exhibit area while crews repair the cracked panel.

A zoo spokesperson said: “It is common for male gorillas, especially in adolescence, to express these types of behaviours.

“Bursts of energy, charging, dragging items, or running sideways are all natural for a young male.”

The dramatic moment comes just weeks after the sudden death of Denny’s older brother, Maka, a 30-year-old gorilla who suffered a fatal cardiac event in August, a loss experts say may be influencing Denny’s recent behaviour.

Dr Erin Riley, a primatologist and anthropology professor at San Diego State University, explained that “charging displays” are typical for male gorillas.

“Gorillas, particularly males, will often do what we call ‘charging displays,’ as a kind of an act of like showing off,” Dr Riley said.

“One of the things that gorillas actually don’t like is to be stared at directly in the eyes, and that’s not something that zoo visitors always understand.”

Dr Riley added that the outburst could have been triggered by something in the crowd.

“Given that it was directed towards the window, which is where the visitors are, I don’t know if they were feeling threatened, if there were a lot of people there that made Denny feel a little bit threatened,” she explained.

Dr Annie Petersen, an animal behaviour and bonding expert, said the charge may not have been aggressive at all.

“It may not necessarily have been an aggressive reaction; it may have been one of excitement, it may have been one of exploration,” she said.

Visitors who witnessed the moment urged others to act more respectfully around the gorillas.

Zoo guest Andrea Corry said: “They’re super strong. We need to be respectful of them, and also respectful of their space.

“A lot of people hit the glass, tap it, try to provoke them, and we need to just observe — watch them, not aggravate them.”

Western lowland gorillas are the world’s largest primates, capable of growing up to six feet tall and weighing as much as 500 pounds. The species is critically endangered due to deforestation and poaching across central Africa.

Despite the chaos, zoo officials reassured the public that the reinforced glass enclosure held firm and visitors were never in danger.