Pata Zoo offers reward to catch graffiti vandals

“Free Bua Noi” is spray-painted across the storefront above the main entrance of the Pata Department Store, which operates Pata Zoo, where the gorilla Bua Noi has lived for more than three decades. (Photo: Pata Zoo)

Pata Zoo has offered a 100,000-baht reward for information leading to the arrest of vandals who spray-painted “Free Bua Noi” across the storefront above the main entrance of the Pata Department Store in Bangkok.

The incident occurred last Monday, and the zoo on Friday declared it was the last straw. The graffiti attack follows what it called unfair criticism of its care of the 33-year-old gorilla Bua Noi by activist groups going back two decades.