# Bokito By [Untitled](https://paragraph.com/@0x033aab224a74375f6bb8a71406e9dfd8003f7ac5) · 2023-04-14 --- **Bokito** (14 March 1996 – 4 April 2023) was a male [western gorilla](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_gorilla) born in captivity that lived most of his life in [Diergaarde Blijdorp](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diergaarde_Blijdorp) [zoo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoo) in [Rotterdam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotterdam), the Netherlands. He became the subject of considerable media coverage after breaking out of his enclosure on 18 May 2007, abducting a female visitor and severely injuring her. Bokito was born in the [_Zoologischer Garten_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Zoological_Garden), [Berlin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin), Germany, and was abandoned by his mother at birth. He was then raised by human attendants. To avoid the risk of [inbreeding](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inbreeding), he was transferred to Rotterdam in August 2005, where the mauling incident later took place. In November 2021, Bokito and other gorillas of his family became infected with [COVID-19](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19).[\[1\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokito_\(gorilla\)#cite_note-1) Bokito died on 4 April 2023, at the age of 27.[\[2\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokito_\(gorilla\)#cite_note-2) Incidents --------- Bokito In mid-2004, Bokito escaped from his enclosure in [Berlin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin) and climbed its 3-metre-high (9.8 ft) wall. He was escorted back to his enclosure without further incident.[\[3\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokito_\(gorilla\)#cite_note-3) On 18 May 2007, Bokito responded to children throwing rocks at him[\[4\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokito_\(gorilla\)#cite_note-4) by jumping over the water-filled ditch that separated his enclosure in Rotterdam from the public and violently attacked a woman, dragging her around for tens of metres and inflicting bone fractures as well as more than a hundred bite wounds. He subsequently entered a nearby restaurant, causing panic among the visitors. During this encounter, three more people were injured as a result of the panic. Bokito was eventually sedated with a [tranquilizer gun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dart_gun) and placed back in his cage.[\[5\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokito_\(gorilla\)#cite_note-love-5)[\[6\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokito_\(gorilla\)#cite_note-6)[\[7\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokito_\(gorilla\)#cite_note-7) The woman who was attacked had been a regular visitor to the [great apes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_apes)' enclosure, visiting an average of four times per week. She had a habit of touching the glass that separated the public from the gorillas, while making [eye contact](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_contact) with Bokito and smiling at him. Although smiling is often associated with submissive or non-aggressive behavior in gorillas,[\[8\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokito_\(gorilla\)#cite_note-8) eye contact is a practice that is discouraged by [primatologists](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primatologist), as apes are likely to interpret eye contact as a challenge or a form of aggressive [display](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Display_\(zoology\)).\[[_citation needed_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)\] Zoo employees had previously warned her against doing this, but she continued, claiming a special bond with him: in an interview with [_De Telegraaf_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Telegraaf) she said, "When I smile at him, he smiles back".[\[5\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokito_\(gorilla\)#cite_note-love-5)[\[9\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokito_\(gorilla\)#cite_note-9)[\[10\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokito_\(gorilla\)#cite_note-10) ### Aftermath The week after Bokito's escape, a local health insurance company sponsored the production of 2,000 _BokitoKijkers_ ("Bokito viewers"), paper visors which disguised the direction of the wearer's gaze.[\[11\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokito_\(gorilla\)#cite_note-11) The visors were designed by advertising agency [DDB Amsterdam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDB_Worldwide), and won a Bronze Lion for [promotional material](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promotional_material) at the 2008 [Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannes_Lions_International_Advertising_Festival),[\[12\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokito_\(gorilla\)#cite_note-12)[\[13\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokito_\(gorilla\)#cite_note-13) and a Eurobest Silver at the 2007 [Eurobest European Advertising Festival](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurobest_European_Advertising_Festival).[\[14\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokito_\(gorilla\)#cite_note-14) The word "_bokitoproof_", meaning "durable enough to resist the actions of an enraged gorilla" and by extension "durable enough to resist the actions of a non-specific extreme situation" was voted the Word of the Year for 2007 in the Netherlands.[\[15\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokito_\(gorilla\)#cite_note-15)[\[16\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokito_\(gorilla\)#cite_note-16) --- *Originally published on [Untitled](https://paragraph.com/@0x033aab224a74375f6bb8a71406e9dfd8003f7ac5/bokito)*