A strange rumor claiming that a gorilla had escaped from the Virginia Zoo spread rapidly on social media—even though the zoo does not house any gorillas.
On the night of March 11, the Virginia Zoo experienced a power outage. Shortly after, rumors began circulating on social media that the blackout had caused the gorilla enclosure’s locks to fail. Some people even claimed to have seen the escaped gorilla, lending credibility to the rumors and fueling their spread.
In response, the zoo addressed the rumors on Facebook, saying, “We’ve heard about the alleged gorilla escape, but we believe people may have spotted our zoo mascot, ZooSquatch, during his daily run. Don’t worry—he’s back at the zoo now.” The zoo also shared a photo of ZooSquatch.
The zoo reassured the public, stating, “Virginia Zoo has extensive safety measures and protocols to ensure the safety of both our animals and the community. If any animals were to escape, our public relations team would immediately notify local media and provide updates on social media to keep everyone informed.”
Viewer Comments:
Running in a mascot costume is very confusing.
If they had a gorilla, it would have been a full-blown panic.
The mascot must have been running around trying to fix the power outage too.
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