Cincinnati Zoo kills gorilla after child gets into his cage, May 28, 2016

[KaaBoom]

May 30 2016, 1:43 pm ET

Outrage Grows After Gorilla Harambe Shot Dead at Cincinnati Zoo to Save Tot

by Elisha Fieldstadt

Animal rights activists continued to protest Monday over the death of a gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo who was fatally shot so authorities could rescue a child who had fallen into the animal's enclosure.

A change.org petition called for the parents of the 3-year-old boy to be held responsible for the death of Harambe, a 17-year-old male Western lowland silverback gorilla.

The petition had garnered more than 138,000 signatures by Monday afternoon. Cincinnati police, however, said they had no intention of charging the family because they don't believe a crime was committed...

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...harambe-shot-dead-cincinnati-zoo-save-n582706

That has got to be the single worst public petition I have ever seen.

1. The petition is totally pointless, and has no legal bearing. Even if public officials were sympathetic to the petition, they would be left scratching their heads, trying to find a law that these people could be charged with breaking.

2. It’s morally wrong to blame the victim or the victim’s family for an unfortunate incident like this.

3. It’s counterproductive. The only thing the petition could possibly accomplish is to deflect blame away from the zoo, and empower them not to make the changes that will prevent this from happening again.

 

[squish]

I am sickened by the slaughter of this innocent gorilla. Their excuse that they couldn't tranquilise him in case he got agitated is nonsense. Shooting him was just as risky - if they had missed, or injured him but not killed him outright, he would have been panicked.

The zookeepers should have distracted him down the other end of the enclosure, while another climbed down and retrieved the boy.

I actually disagree with those blaming the mum; it seems like people are horrified and want to blame someone and she is being scapegoated. Yes she will not win any mother of the year competitions, she should have kept an eye on her kid, her shouting and calling was infuriating, and her lack of remorse for the gorilla is disgusting, but there are plenty of stupid parents around.

At the end of the day the zoo is responsible for keeping idiots and their offspring away from the animals. Of course curious children will try to get close to the animals, and of course there will be stupid parents who can't, won't, or don't stop them. Also, the zoo is responsible for its horrific decision to assassinate an innocent, endangered gorilla.

Another thing I keep seeing everywhere is that "human life always comes before animals". They make it sound like there were no other options where both could have lived. Secondly, it is ludicrously self-centred for humans to decide that their own species "comes first". Leave the animals and the environment alone, then we won't have to decide who "comes first". The ONLY time "humans come first" is applicable is in genuine defence, when an animal is actually trying to kill, or is very likely to kill a human.

This innocent gorilla has been punished multiple times - first by humans destroying his natural habitat and poaching so he is endangered. Second by breeding him into captivity to avoid them going extinct. Thirdly by keeping him in captivity all his life so humans can gawp at him. Fourthly by letting a kid disturb his home, then getting screamed at because of it. Finally getting killed because a kid breached his enclosure.

 

[squish]

I had kid 'leashes' for my children also. It didn't matter who tsked at me. And it's surprising how many did. Now I make it a point of telling anyone with a child on a harness/leash, or who brings a pet into a store as opposed to leaving them in a car in the torrid Florida sun, that I appreciate them loving their loved ones. Thank you, LinasK for loving your daughter. :tyou:

I was on a leash when I was little, over here they call them "baby reins" to make it sound less like animal equipment [emoji5]️

 

[monster12]

Nbc nightly news with Lester Holt just had a clip about the story. It showed a diagram of the layout. The fence was followed by 4 ft of grassy/shrub area then the 15 foot drop into the moat. I keep trying to find it but I can't. They also said when the gorilla heard the boy fall and the screams, it made him jump down into the moat also.

So while the mother was "yelling" to the son that "everything is okay mommy is here". ....Where were the other kids?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[KaaBoom]

I think the reason why no one rescued the child is because no one (subconsciously) wants to risk their life for the child of a mother, they view as negligent. They view the child as growing up to be a huge nuisance, like the type that throws rocks off an overpass. I'm reading comments all over the Internet...people are pissed at the mother, and no one gives a crap about the kid. He's just seen as an extension of her.

I can think of a lot of other reasons.

 

[KaaBoom]

Yup! And in that Daily Mail article- on Facebook- the mother is now defending herself, acting like she did nothing wrong!!! .

Reality check: She did absolutely nothing wrong. There is absolutely a zero chance that she will be charged with anything. There is about a 99% chance that the zoo will be found negligent for this incident, and will pay a fine or a civil judgement. .

 

[KaaBoom]

The tiger got out of San Francisco enclosure. Gorilla was in his enclosure in Cincinnati.

The zoo’s responsibility is to keep the visitors and the animals apart from each other. They failed, and a gorilla is dead now because of it.

 

[Mrs G Norris]

I am sickened by the slaughter of this innocent gorilla. Their excuse that they couldn't tranquilise him in case he got agitated is nonsense. Shooting him was just as risky - if they had missed, or injured him but not killed him outright, he would have been panicked.

The zookeepers should have distracted him down the other end of the enclosure, while another climbed down and retrieved the boy.

I actually disagree with those blaming the mum; it seems like people are horrified and want to blame someone and she is being scapegoated. Yes she will not win any mother of the year competitions, she should have kept an eye on her kid, her shouting and calling was infuriating, and her lack of remorse for the gorilla is disgusting, but there are plenty of stupid parents around.

At the end of the day the zoo is responsible for keeping idiots and their offspring away from the animals. Of course curious children will try to get close to the animals, and of course there will be stupid parents who can't, won't, or don't stop them. Also, the zoo is responsible for its horrific decision to assassinate an innocent, endangered gorilla.

Another thing I keep seeing everywhere is that "human life always comes before animals". They make it sound like there were no other options where both could have lived. Secondly, it is ludicrously self-centred for humans to decide that their own species "comes first". Leave the animals and the environment alone, then we won't have to decide who "comes first". The ONLY time "humans come first" is applicable is in genuine defence, when an animal is actually trying to kill, or is very likely to kill a human.

This innocent gorilla has been punished multiple times - first by humans destroying his natural habitat and poaching so he is endangered. Second by breeding him into captivity to avoid them going extinct. Thirdly by keeping him in captivity all his life so humans can gawp at him. Fourthly by letting a kid disturb his home, then getting screamed at because of it. Finally getting killed because a kid breached his enclosure.

^^^ THIS X 100!!!! Well said!

 

[LinasK]

(modsnip) Why was she allowed to have them back???

 

[KaaBoom]

Nbc nightly news with Lester Holt just had a clip about the story. It showed a diagram of the layout. The fence was followed by 4 ft of grassy/shrub area then the 15 foot drop into the moat. I keep trying to find it but I can't. They also said when the gorilla heard the boy fall and the screams, it made him jump down into the moat also.

I would add that the fence appears to me to be about two feet high. So there is nothing but a 2 foot fence and 4 feet of shrubs to keep small children from falling into a 15 foot deep pit, filled with dangerous animals. :facepalm: Unbelievable.

 

[keyleigh]

And runs a daycare!?! Guess that will be closed for a while.

 

[JeannaT]

I would add that the fence appears to me to be about two feet high. So there is nothing but a 2' fence and 4' of shrubs to keep small children from falling into a 15’ deep pit filled with dangerous animals. :facepalm: Unbelievable.

Didn't seem like anyone else did it before, so it's really not that unbelievable to think that set up works.

 

[JeannaT]

Nbc nightly news with Lester Holt just had a clip about the story. It showed a diagram of the layout. The fence was followed by 4 ft of grassy/shrub area then the 15 foot drop into the moat. I keep trying to find it but I can't. They also said when the gorilla heard the boy fall and the screams, it made him jump down into the moat also.

So while the mother was "yelling" to the son that "everything is okay mommy is here". ....Where were the other kids?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I guess not breeching the enclosure and jumping down into the moat - like the millions of others who have passed by that exhibit.

 

[monster12]

I guess not breeching the enclosure and jumping down into the moat - like the millions of others who have passed by that exhibit.

I guess I should clarify I meant her other children that I would assume we're not being watched since she was now yelling down to her kid in a moat with a gorilla.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[monster12]

Didn't seem like anyone else did it before, so it's really not that unbelievable to think that set up works.

Agreed. It takes one bad apple to ruin the bunch. This has worked since it was created 37 years ago I believe they said. If you crawl through or over a fence and walk 4ft then fall 15 feet, it isn't the fault of anyone but "yourself".... Or your guardian.


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[LinasK]

The tiger got out of San Francisco enclosure. Gorilla was in his enclosure in Cincinnati.

What is comparable about these two situations is that endangered species had to be killed for doing what they naturally do because of the bad behavior of humans. In S.F. the tiger enclosure also worked for many, many years until these young men decided to pelt the tiger with rocks and sticks. It got pissed and lept out after them. Both zoos have/will have to fix their enclosures to keep stupid people out and animals in.

 

[jjenny]

That has got to be the single worst public petition I have ever seen.

1. The petition is totally pointless, and has no legal bearing. Even if public officials were sympathetic to the petition, they would be left scratching their heads, trying to find a law that these people could be charged with breaking.

2. It’s morally wrong to blame the victim or the victim’s family for an unfortunate incident like this.

3. It’s counterproductive. The only thing the petition could possibly accomplish is to deflect blame away from the zoo, and empower them not to make the changes that will prevent this from happening again.

The victim here is the gorilla.

 

[jjenny]

Her name is now in msm. Usually that means we can name her?

 

[JeannaT]

Her name is now in msm. Usually that means we can name her?

It's certainly all over the place; but I haven't yet seen it mentioned in MSM. I think if it is, you can post the article, can't you?

 

[LinasK]

The victim here is the gorilla.

Agreed, these parents should be charged with something! The child took an action known to be dangerous and stated on signs not to do. The parents didn't stop him. The zoo will still make changes in it's enclosures whether the parents sue or not. It would be a PR nightmare for them not to. It's sad that zoos have to protect the animals from idiots!