Gorilla accidentally hangs himself at Prague Zoo

Tatu, the gorilla, was found dead on Friday after he accidentally hung himself with a climbing rope, according to zoo officials in Prague.

The Associated Press reported that the 5-year-old gorilla was found hanging with a rope around his neck in a sleeping room in the morning.

A spokesman for the zoo, Michal Stastny, said all attempts to revive the gorilla failed.

The zoo's employees could only reach the gorilla to attempt resuscitation after chasing off the other gorillas.

The zoo's director Miroslav Bobek said, "It's mainly the female Kamba, the oldest member of the herd, who stubbornly refused to quit Tatu," according to Agence France Presse.

More on GlobalPost: Mysterious snub-nosed "sneezing" monkeys caught on camera in China

Zoo keeper Pavel Brandl said Kamba looked like she was trying to help Tatu, but it was "hard to say what exactly she was doing," according to the BBC.

Brandl said it was likely Tatu unbraided one of the climbing ropes and put a strand around his neck before hanging himself, the AP reported.

"It was an accident," Brandl said.

More on GlobalPost: Termites explode toxic goo as defense when they age

Tatu was in the spotlight five years ago, when his birth was broadcast live on the internet, AFP reported.

"This is the most tragic event that has happened at the Prague zoo since a flood damaged a large section in August 2002," said Bobek, in a statement.

The floods in 2002 killed several animals including a gorilla named Pong, The Daily Telegraph noted. The Prague Zoo spearheads efforts to protect the endangered species.