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

[jjenny]

RSBM

Pretty sure a ladder would've worked.
It seems they (zoo staff) should have tried to distract the gorilla--and not just shoot it right away ? And what if they'd shot the child by accident ?

Then again perhaps not. Trying to think of possible options to having to shoot a magnificent animal.
We are losing some of Earth's precious animals and that's tragic.

That's what they did in the other situation with Jumbo the gorilla. Jumped into enclosure and got the child out. This particular enclosure in Cincinnati seems to be a lot deeper, so I don't recommend anyone jumped in, but they could have used a ladder.

 

[LinasK]

May I ask the name of the book LinasK?

It's a Nora Roberts novel called Black Hills.

 

[LaborDayRN]

We used a leash on her in the video store. Told her we were wearing matching bracelets and she bought it. Kept her from wandering away/being abducted while we selected videos to rent.
Rumors are circulating on FB now, that in addition to having multiple little kids to watch, she was on FB on her cell phone!!! GRRRR!!!!!

:notgood:

 

[LaborDayRN]

It's a Nora Roberts novel called Black Hills.

Thanks!

 

[Mrs G Norris]

Well, if you care about animals, think about it from this perspective: better design would not just have saved a child, but it would have saved an endangered gorilla. You can't expect a 4 year old to read signs, or every parent to be diligent 100% of the time. So even if you don't care about the people who get killed (and I'm not saying you don't), how about the animals?

I'm just jumping off your post, but I wish we didn't have zoos, not for the public anyway.

I recently rescued a koala that was stunned when hit by a car, and he was sent off to a zoo, they found an old break in his wrist that had healed incorrectly, and now he's living in an enclosure, if I could have my time over I'd have simply stayed with him until he was fully alert and let him go on his way, he'd been living with that break for years and it wasn't a problem for him.

Animals belong in the wild, not in cages with people oggling over them, and acting like gods.

 

[LinasK]

Thanks!

In addition to romances, she writes good murder mysteries too. This is one of those.

 

[LietKynes]

When my children were small and we went to places like the zoo, Disneyland etc........I kept them close, and there they stayed. I was worried about everything. Especially the animals of the human kind.

SABBM

Agreed. Esp. the bolded part.

We used a leash for a while with both of our kids when they were toddlers. Worked better on the oldest as he was non-confrontational and mostly obedient.
The second child was more interesting. He'd yank and tug on the safety harness; and look at us like we were big bad meanies.

At the age of four, though --they need to know that "No" means if you don't listen--we will leave the zoo or park or wherever . No more fun for anyone.
MOO

 

[LaborDayRN]

I just want to take a minute to say thank you. WS is the best! We can agree to disagree, and thoughtfully discuss issues. (I know it doesn't always stay calm but I think we did pretty darn good today!) There are so many other sites on the internet that are horrible. People telling each other off, saying really awful things! I'm so grateful to have found WS! :tyou:

 

[dvhahn]

Why did this take 10 minutes?

This one caught my attention.

VIDEO: Gorilla grabs child who's gotten into habitat
http://www.wlwt.com/news/video-gorilla-grabs-child-whos-fallen-into-habitat/39774904

O’Connor says she heard the 4-year-old saying he wanted to jump into the gorilla’s habitat before the incident. The boy’s mother was also tending to several other young children.

“The little boy himself had already been talking about wanting to ... get in the water. The mother's like, 'No, you're not, no, you're not,'” O’Connor said.

O’Connor tried to help keep others calm while zoo officials moved in but left before Harambe was shot. In total, the boy was in the enclosure for 10 to 15 minutes, fire officials said.

I have to wonder why the mother did not just grab her son and hold onto him.

This one caught my attention from reuters via yahoo:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/killing-gorilla-save-boy-ohio-zoo-sparks-outrage-175543989.html

Wow, I swear to god this article has been edited since I read it earlier today. The part that was deleted stated the mother was yelling "I am here and love you to the child, but she apparently had several other children to look after as well." I think the media is now acting on the parents/mothers/caretakers behalf hoping they will not be called out for neglect or crucified to be blunt.

 

[LinasK]

This one caught my attention from reuters via yahoo:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/killing-gorilla-save-boy-ohio-zoo-sparks-outrage-175543989.html

Wow, I swear to god this article has been edited since I read it earlier today. The part that was deleted stated the mother was yelling "I am here and love you to the child, but she apparently had several other children to look after as well." I think the media is now acting on the parents/mothers/caretakers behalf hoping they will not be called out for neglect or crucified to be blunt.

BBM.The thing is- this info is already out there in other articles, and there were direct witnesses. Her name is out there too apparently. This is a bell that can't be unrung/ barn door closed after the horse escaped.

 

[HMSHood]

BBM.The thing is- this info is already out there in other articles, and there were direct witnesses. Her name is out there too apparently. This is a bell that can't be unrung/ barn door closed after the horse escaped.

The horse has left the barn a long time ago. Her business is also out there.

 

[Montjoy]

I'm just jumping off your post, but I wish we didn't have zoos, not for the public anyway.

I recently rescued a koala that was stunned when hit by a car, and he was sent off to a zoo, they found an old break in his wrist that had healed incorrectly, and now he's living in an enclosure, if I could have my time over I'd have simply stayed with him until he was fully alert and let him go on his way, he'd been living with that break for years and it wasn't a problem for him.

Animals belong in the wild, not in cages with people ogling over them, and acting like gods.

Respect. I agree. As I've written before, there have been times that humans have been zoo exhibits. I love watching animals. I live in an urban area where, even in my yard, I see deer, rabbits, many deer, etc. I work half of each month in the arctic, and get to see some pretty amazing wildlife there too -- caribou/tuktu, siksik, polar bears/nanuk, and once in a blue moon, wolverine/kalvik. But in those situations, neither of us is in a cage, or both of us is in a cage. It's not a situation in which one group is imprisoned for the amusement of others.

With polar bears, especially with the awful consequences of global warming, there have been far more orphaned cubs found as there has been more cannibalism and starvation. In such cases, I am glad that there are rescue organizations to take care of the cubs, and frankly, I think that zoos can be less-than-worst destinations for unsocialized cubs.

But I don't know how cool it is to use them as amusements for people unless every reasonable effort is made to make sure that they are cared for well, in every way. To me, imprisoning them in often awful enclosures and then subjecting them to having a steady stream of leering humans seems like adding insult to injury.

 

[LaborDayRN]

BBM.The thing is- this info is already out there in other articles, and there were direct witnesses. Her name is out there too apparently. This is a bell that can't be unrung/ barn door closed after the horse escaped.

As I used to tell my kids, you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube! Once it's out, it's out. (this was advise on gossip though)

 

[al66pine]

.... Mom's can't be everywhere 100% of the time. It is just an unfortunate incident - not Mom's fault IMO

^bbm rbm^

Agreeing w this ^ "100%" point. But Mom did not need to be anywhere else 100% of the time. She was there w the child.

.... According to the witness, she overheard the woman who was supervising this boy and several others tell this child several times not to crawl through but he did it anyway. http://www.wlwt.com/news/video-gorilla-grabs-child-whos-fallen-into-habitat/39774904

.... He was misbehaving and being disobedient.... she allowed it to continue and the boy did exactly what he said he was going to do.... completely avoidable had she taken control of the unruly child instead of turning a blind eye to his behavior.

^all bbm & sbm^

As these & other posters point out, she had multiple opportunities to prevent this. Per MSM reports by witnesses to the events, appears like that to me also, but IDK.


Sad, sad, sad, all the way around for everyone.

 

[Mrs G Norris]

Respect. I agree. As I've written before, there have been times that humans have been zoo exhibits. I love watching animals. I live in an urban area where, even in my yard, I see deer, rabbits, many deer, etc. I work half of each month in the arctic, and get to see some pretty amazing wildlife there too -- caribou/tuktu, siksik, polar bears/nanuk, and once in a blue moon, wolverine/kalvik. But in those situations, neither of us is in a cage, or both of us is in a cage. It's not a situation in which one group is imprisoned for the amusement of others.

With polar bears, especially with the awful consequences of global warming, there have been far more orphaned cubs found as there has been more cannibalism and starvation. In such cases, I am glad that there are rescue organizations to take care of the cubs, and frankly, I think that zoos can be less-than-worst destinations for unsocialized cubs.

But I don't know how cool it is to use them as amusements for people unless every reasonable effort is made to make sure that they are cared for well, in every way. To me, imprisoning them in often awful enclosures and then subjecting them to having a steady stream of leering humans seems like adding insult to injury.

Yes, exactly .. I agree with you about a better solution than death for rescued animals, I agree too about better enclosures, this tragedy would never have happened if they child could not have got in. ALSO why aren't the animals better protected in general?

 

[HMSHood]

Parents of 4-year-old who caused Harambe the gorilla's slaughter could be CHARGED: 'Neglectful' family investigated after little boy climbed into zoo enclosure, causing staff to shoot the silverback dead
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-gorilla-s-enclosure.html?ito=social-facebook

Police have said the parents of a four-year-old who climbed into a gorilla's enclosure could face criminal charges after staff were forced to kill the beloved animal.

Harambe the 400lb gorilla was shot dead by Cincinnati Zoo officials just one day after his 17th birthday when the boy climbed through barriers and fell into the enclosure.

The incident, which was captured on cell phone, has sparked an outcry of emotion, with thousands of mourners branding it a 'senseless death'.

 

[eileenhawkeye]

There was a case a couple of years ago where a child got into an exhibit and was killed. There were people who said the parents should not be charged because they have suffered enough. Well, in this case, the parents haven't suffered at all...so that argument doesn't exist here. Makes me wonder if it could make a difference and they may be charged?

 

[jjenny]

There was a case a couple of years ago where a child got into an exhibit and was killed. There were people who said the parents should not be charged because they have suffered enough. Well, in this case, the parents haven't suffered at all...so that argument doesn't exist here. Makes me wonder if it could make a difference and they may be charged?

That kid fell into painted dogs exhibit. Dogs killed him right away so dogs weren't killed (there was no point since the kid was already dead).

 

[jjenny]

Yes, exactly .. I agree with you about a better solution than death for rescued animals, I agree too about better enclosures, this tragedy would never have happened if they child could not have got in. ALSO why aren't the animals better protected in general?

Nobody gotten into the enclosure in 38 years that the zoo had it. But of course this particular kid managed so people can blame the zoo.

 

[SophieRose]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/30/u...-enters-enclosure-at-cincinnati-zoo.html?_r=0

It also led several people on social media to question the mother’s culpability, but Ms. Nicely said it would be unfair to judge the mother too harshly.

“I don’t feel like it was neglectful,” she said. “She had three other kids that she was with. She had a baby in her arms. It was literally the blink of an eye.”

She added: “I saw it, and I couldn’t even prevent it. It happened so fast.”