Here’s a tip for all you would-be scammers out there: if you’re going to start an online hoax about an animal escaping from a zoo, it’s probably a good idea to make sure said zoo actually has that animal in the first place.
While word was spreading on social media that a gorilla was on the loose from the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk, the zoo took to Facebook to assure the community that no such ape escape had happened. Not only that, it clarified that the zoo doesn’t even have a gorilla, escaped or otherwise.
“Our keepers want you to know that all of our animals are safe and accounted for (except for gorillas… because we don’t have those),” the Virginia Zoo’s post reads.
It adds, “Just a friendly reminder, while these hoaxes can be silly, you can rest assured that the Virginia Zoo has extensive safety measures and protocols in place to keep our animals and community safe.”
The lesson here is that, no matter what activity you’re pursuing, research is always important.