Snipped for focus.
I think there is a "reasonable" and common sense factor here that seems to escape the consideration of some apologists who desperately want the zoo to be at fault. Like every zoo, this zoo has numerous signs advising not to touch, feed, harass, or interact with the animals, and
numerous redundant barriers to allow viewing, but prevent casual, or even determined entry into the exhibits. This woman knew it was a zoo with animals, she speaks English fluently, and presumably is able to read English.
So let me give a comparable example from a highly developed nation (not a 3rd world country). I have spent a lot of time in Germany. I can speak and read a few words of German, but I am far, far from even basic conversational skills, and I am certainly not fluent. But I still retain my intelligence, despite the language barrier, right? I don't lose my adult reasoning abilities, or lose my common sense, or become stupid about dangerous things just because I don't speak the language fluently of whatever country I'm currently in.
So, I have taken my kids several times to Freizeit-Land in central Germany, which is a standard amusement ride park, with a zoo.
Here it is:
http://www.freizeitlandgeiselwind.de/attraktionen
Several of the rides for small kids there are unattended by park staff, with just signs (in German) advising adults how to put the kids on the rides, and dangers to watch out for. One ride is a slow-ish swan boat ride that goes in a circle in the water. You walk up and pace the ride, and sort of fling your kids into the swan boat, then haul them out when they've gone around enough times. Another is like a hot air balloon thing that goes in an elliptical circle. That one simply has a red line painted on the ground ("risk of death or head injury if hit"-- in German), and no rails or fences, you strap your kid in, and then push the button on the same post for it to go. (Then run like he77 so you don't get whacked in the head by the ride.) There isn't a lot of "suing" or complaining going on by Germans because there aren't 18 redundant safety barriers-- it's expected that adults will have enough sense to evaluate the situation.
My point here is that even with my limited language skills, I'm able to determine what is safe for my kid (and me, lol!), and what isn't, and when I should be closely supervising them. Or I'm aware I should leave the park if it appears to be too much danger for me to properly supervise my kids. I have options, just like this mom did.
She chose to allow her attention to be so distracted and removed from supervising her child (in a crowded public place!!) that he took advantage and intentionally breached all of the barriers. He's a very young, active child with no judgement or appreciation of consequences-- not his fault-- fault of the adult in charge. She owns a daycare-- surely she should understand close supervision of little kids better than many parents, right?
This woman is not so stupid she didn't know she was at a zoo with potentially dangerous animals in enclosures with barriers. Her child wanted to breach the barriers, and told her so. Then she diverted her attention away from him (instead of watching him even more closely), and he did exactly that. That's not the fault of the zoo for not having armed guards patrolling the barriers to keep active children from sneaking in. That's a lapse in adult supervision and attention to the child. IMO. She failed, not the zoo. IMO. 35 million people did NOT breach the gorilla barriers.
But this child did, intentionally. It wasn't an accident. He didn't fall in from the public sidewalk.
He was not being watched and supervised closely enough. If an adult had been continuously interacting with him, or holding his hand, admiring the gorillas, he never would have had the CHANCE to crawl thru the bushes and the barriers. He needed continuous supervision during that experience, and he didn't get it from any adult. And we're all glad and relieved he lived thru the experience-- heck, his mom joked about it.
She's very, very lucky her child is ok.
