Is this America's most dangerous zoo? Shocking video shows zookeeper being ... trends now

The San Francisco Zoo is in danger of being dubbed the most dangerous in America following a string of safety incidents - including a zookeeper being chased by a grizzly bear just last year. 

An investigation by the San Francisco Chronicle has exposed multiple serious incidents where employee safety and animal welfare has been compromised at the city-owned 100-acre plot in the southwest corner of the city. 

The zoo, which receives $4 million a year in taxpayer money, first hit headlines over a decade ago when a guest was tragically killed by an escaped tiger on Christmas Day in 2007. This was followed by the heartbreaking death of a baby gorilla in 2014.

New surveillance footage has now revealed the moment a zookeeper narrowly escaped death when he was chased around an enclosure by a grizzly bear last may.  

There was also the recent undisclosed death of a young penguin who was fatally struck by a 'guillotine' door - adding to the toll on morale at the zoo. 

The situation has led many workers to resign or say they have 'lost faith in the management' of the 95-year-old institution.  

There has been a 19 percent decrease in the number of zookeepers and other union staff between 2019 and late 2023, according to the report. 

The concerning trend has left the remaining zookeepers - who are trained to care for more than 2,000 animals - with the daunting task of overseeing even more exhibits, raising significant public safety and worker safety concerns.

But the zoo's board has dismissed the recent incidents as 'predicated on outdated or simply untrue information' and 'uniformly objectionable and baseless.' 

Video footage that captured the terrifying incident where a keeper narrowly escaped a grizzly bear's grasp last May had remained unreported in the media until now. 

The zookeeper found himself fleeing from a massive 500-pound grizzly bear named Kiona after an oversight in securing her den allowed her to roam freely.

The keeper dashed through gates and barriers to safety, while colleagues managed to lure Kiona away from the public areas.   

The staff who came to the keeper's aid found him in a panic and the grizzly roaming freely, then-assistant curator of the zoo's carnivores department, Travis Shields, told the Chronicle. 

Shields, who was away during that particular moment but briefed by his employees after, eventually resigned last July after 'upper management's disregard of keepers' concerns,' the outlet reported. 

'Eventually something more severe is going to happen in the future if they continue on the same path,' Shields said.  

Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but this alarming incident, along with other recent safety relapses, has stirred unrest among zoo staff and prompted resignations.

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Following the bear incident, modifications were made to the enclosure - including painting the walls a lighter color and spray-painting new 'Open' and 'Closed' signs to enhance visibility for keepers, helping them determine if the door is securely closed.

New latches were also installed to ensure that keepers close the den doors before locking them.

In 2007, Carlos Sousa Jr, 17, was killed and two brothers badly mauled after a 300lb Siberian tiger escaped from its enclosure and went on a rampage. 

In the recording, one of the injured men pleaded for help and asked why it was taking so long to come, shouting: 'My brother's about to die out here!'

A lawyer for Paul, 19, and Kulbir Dhaliwal, 23, said at the time that help did not arrive for more than 30 minutes. 

Police had warned that the escaped tiger which savaged three zoo visitors may have been let out of its enclosure deliberately.  

To reach the public area,

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