It was during this incident that Charla Nash, a familiar acquaintance of both Herold and Travis, arrived to help—only to become the target of a brutal and near-fatal assault by the animal.
Authorities believed that Travis may have mistaken Nash for a threat due to her unfamiliar hairstyle. The sedative, typically prescribed to humans for anxiety, may have exacerbated his aggressive response.
In the aftermath of the 2009 attack, Nash lost her nose, lips, eyelids, and both hands. Although she later received a face and double hand transplant, her body rejected the hand grafts, necessitating their removal.
A separate, equally shocking incident occurred in 2005 when St. James and LaDonna Davis were savagely attacked by two chimpanzees during a visit to their beloved pet, Moe, at a California sanctuary.
