What guns would you choose for worse case zoo scenario?

[Plan2Live]

I am proposing a serious question brought to light by the recent zoo incident. If you were equipping a zoo for a worse case scenario, which gun or guns would you choose?

Think this through, you have a variety of potential threats from dangerous snakes to some of the largest and most dangerous animals on the planet. If one gets loose you will most likely be taking a rather short range shot due to tightly packed buildings, landscaping and twisting pathways winding through the various exhibits. The staff will most likely be animal lovers, not hunters so they probably would not be too keen on training on a variety of weapons nor would management likely authorize an arsenal. For the larger animals you would need sufficient caliber for a one shot kill but you also have to be concerned with ricochets and over penetration. Due to the likely short distances do you go with optics or open sights?

I find all this very interesting to mull over. I think my choices would be a couple of 12 gauge shotguns with about three ammo choices including 3" magnum slugs and a couple of lever action rifles chambered in 45-70. No optics. What would you choose?

 

[DLam]

7mm mag and a 20 gauge 870...

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[Elkins45]

I don't live too far from the Cincy zoo. I had also wondered what sort of gun they used to shoot a 400 pound gorilla. Wonder if the have dedicated rifles and loads for different classes of game, like solids for elephants and rhinos, and soft points for other stuff?

 

[Nanook]

I saw that some of the animal activists were actually saying they would have preferred the parents were shot instead of the gorilla.

Imagine that. And they say gun owners can't be trusted.

 

[Reloadron]

When hunting you match the gun to the game, I really do not see a response team in a zoo as any different. My guess is there would only be a concern for what would be classified as dangerous game. Lions and tigers and bears Oh My. So are we concerned about the elephant crossing?

As to a 400 lb lowland gorilla? I would guess a .308 Winchester would suffice. beyond being large they are not tough skinned animals but a thin skin primate, just very large. Overall most zoos should fare fine with a 30-06 for dangerous game short of an elephant. The only concern is dangerous game and actually lowland gorillas are not considered dangerous game. Every zoo cannot maintain a collection of guns and an emergency response team. People need to remain out of animal enclosures and mind their children.

Ron

 

[Robert]

Eh, this is too much of a fantasy, what if thread. Chances are really very slim of any of us ever finding ourselves in such a situation.