The Department of Agriculture has fined the city of Dallas $10,000 for a gorilla escape last March at the city zoo.
The city attorney's office acknowledged receipt of the fine notice from the Department of Agriculture, The Dallas Morning News reported Wednesday.
Dallas Zoo officials have said their employees were not to blame for the escape of Jabari, a 350-pound gorilla.
The 13-year-old primate apparently leaped 14 feet over a habitat wall and then attacked visitors. They were not seriously injured, but the gorilla was killed.
Dallas police shot and killed Jabari when they said he charged at them as panic swept through the zoo and patrons fled for the exits. They said they had no choice.
Zoo officials have never been able to explain how the gorilla jumped out of the habitat, but they have removed and trimmed some nearby trees and added an electrified wire perimeter. Some walls are also going to be raised.
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