Connecticut ? A Connecticut biologist warned state officials nearly five months ago that a 200-pound chimpanzee who mauled a woman last month could seriously hurt someone if he felt threatened, according to a memo released to state lawmakers Friday.

The biologist also said the chimp’s owner violated state law, and ended her note with the prophetic warning: “I would like to express the urgency of addressing this issue. It is an accident waiting to happen.”

The two-page document was written on Oct. 28, 2008 by an unnamed Department of Environmental Protection biologist and given to senior staff at the agency’s Bureau of Natural Resources.

It was discovered in an ongoing internal agency review prompted by the mauling incident.

“The animal has reached adult maturity, is very large, and tremendously strong,” the memo says. “I am concerned that if he feels threatened or if someone enters his territory, he could seriously hurt someone.”

The biologist said it was unclear whether the chimp’s enclosure was strong enough to secure the animal named Travis, owned by Sandra Herold of Stamford and kept at her home.