March 14 (UPI) -- The Virginia Zoo responded to rumors of an escaped gorilla in Norfolk by confirming that not only were all of its animals accounted for, but the zoo doesn't even have gorillas.
Social media lit up with reports of a gorilla on the loose following a power outage Tuesday night in the Granby Street area, with several Facebook users claiming to have seen the large primate.
The Virginia Zoo put the rumors to rest, joking that the sightings were likely the facility's mascot, "ZooSquatch."
"We heard talk of an escaped gorilla, but we think it may have just been ZooSquatch spotted on his daily run. But don't worry he has made it back to the Zoo and 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 zoo said on Facebook.
Officials wrote that any real escape would have been accompanied by a swift statement from zoo officials.
"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 post said. "Should there ever be a real animal escape from our facility, a formal statement will be issued by our spokesperson to all local media, as well as on our Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and website for the safety of our neighbors!"
