A chimpanzee managed to shatter an interior pane of protective glass at the Houston Zoo on Monday, forcing the evacuation of the ape habitat, KHOU reported.
The incident happened around 11 a.m., zoo spokeswoman Jackie Wallace told the Houston Chronicle. The chimp did not cause any major damage or cause any injuries, Wallace told the newspaper.
There are 14 chimpanzees housed in the exhibit, KPRC reported.
Betty Mugg, who was visiting the zoo with her daughter and grandson, told KHOU the noise caused by the glass shattering was “really loud.”
"It sounded like a sonic boom, the whole center pane – it shattered,” Mugg told the television station. “I mean it's safety glass – it didn't hurt anyone – but you could see like 6 inches from the top where something had hit it."
Wallace said the interior and exterior glass never shattered, just the middle layer, KHOU reported.
The ape habitat reopened later in the day, but without the animals, the television station reported. They will be held in the boarding area until the glass is repaired.
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