According to the zoo staff, the 2,000-pound one-horned rhino named Bandhu normally has “an exceptionally calm and sweet demeanor.” He was rounded up and put in an indoor enclosure following the incident. Denver Zoo released this statement:
Safety is our top priority at Denver Zoo. Those working in the yard left immediately and safely to a behind-the-scenes area, closing the gate behind them. Zoo guests were safe at all times, as the animal never left its enclosure."Bandhu is back outside today," says Denver Zoo vice president of external relations Tiffany Gruner. "He didn’t do anything wrong, he's so sweet. He was always in an animal area, our staff was working in an animal area. They responded so well. We've already concluded that it was staff errors, yes, a staff member opened the gate."
"He looked surprised," Gruner explains Bandhu's reaction to the mishap. It was a lighthearted error that won't stop the crowds at the Denver Zoo this spring.