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

[bluesneakers]

This story is getting a ton of media attention, and a PR firm likely offered to help out free of cost. I can't blame the parents for taking advantage out of it. There's a witch hunt against them.


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It's truly frightening what's happening. Like the situation isn't bad enough without the internet losing its mind and going after the family. Unhinged vigilantes JMO.

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

Science offers 'future' out of Harambe's remains

“There’s a future," Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden director Thane Maynard said during a press conference Monday afternoon. "It’s not the end of his gene pool."

After Harambe's death, reproductive biologists from the zoo's Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife collected viable sperm from the animal. The center's assisted reproductive programs include research with artificial insemination and frozen sperm.

Maynard said a number of scientists working on genetics issues related to gorillas have contacted the zoo about other possible uses for Harambe's remains, including storing tissue for future research.

http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/ohio/science-offers-future-for-harambes-remains/223407969

 

[krkrjx]

One can not avoid stupidity/carelessness completely. However the barrier is only 3 feet tall. The zoo could easily improve upon such barrier to protect gorillas from humans.

Right, only three feet tall. It's a wonder someone has not been harmed at least weekly in all the years of that barrier being in place.

The kid was not supervised. That's what caused this. If Mom had been watching him she would have seen him climb over or under--whichever was the case--and could have acted to keep her child safe. She didn't and he made it in and then was in danger and the gorilla had to die because of it.

Nothing about that is OK...and nothing exonerates that Mom, IMO.

 

[Ray_of_hope]

The zoo has certainly acted with incredible grace throughout this whole thing - I would be tempted to ban at least the boy until he's older and can show he can follow direction.

I don't think they'll do that due to possibly annoying the family thus provoking litigation.

 

[creepcrusher]

Did he climb the wire fence against the cement wall to get down or just jump down?

http://blog.cincinnatizoo.org/wp-content/uploads/Chewie-06-12.jpg

It sounds like he climbed through a horizontal wire fence. It was probably open enough for a small child to fit through but not an adult. Then he crawled through the brush and fell in.


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[jjenny]

It sounds like he climbed through a horizontal wire fence. It was probably open enough for a small child to fit through but not an adult. Then he crawled through the brush and fell in.


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He was reportedly heard telling his mother he wants to go into the water (in the enclosure). I don't think he fell in. Much more likely he jumped in. As for the fence, an adult could easily get over it.

 

[WillenFan21]

I'm just baffled at the Mom getting slammed (not just here but everywhere) but nothing is being said about the bystanders who stood there and did nothing! Someone asked up thread about them not having time. Well from this witness account it sounds to me like there was plenty of time that they could have grabbed him.

I was taking a pic of the female gorilla, when my eldest son yells, “what is he doing? ” I looked down, and to my surprise, there was a small child that had apparently, literally “flopped” over the railing, where there was then about 3 feet of ground that the child quickly crawled through! ! I assumed the woman next to me was the mother, getting ready to grab him until she says, “Whose kid is this? ” None of us actually thought he’d go over the nearly 15 foot drop, but he was crawling so fast through the bushes before myself or husband could grab him, he went over!

I mean seriously who gives a rats *advertiser censored* whose kid it is? Why not just grab him for petes sakes?! That's what I would have done was grab the kid! Not stood there waiting around to see what happened. I'm not saying the mother is innocent in anyway because I actually think ALL parites are at fault including the Zoo who should have had better barriers for a child to not get through.

Above quote taken from here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...om-after-gorilla-shot-to-protect-her-toddler/

 

[Ray_of_hope]

Science offers 'future' out of Harambe's remains

“There’s a future," Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden director Thane Maynard said during a press conference Monday afternoon. "It’s not the end of his gene pool."

After Harambe's death, reproductive biologists from the zoo's Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife collected viable sperm from the animal. The center's assisted reproductive programs include research with artificial insemination and frozen sperm.

Maynard said a number of scientists working on genetics issues related to gorillas have contacted the zoo about other possible uses for Harambe's remains, including storing tissue for future research.

http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/ohio/science-offers-future-for-harambes-remains/223407969

MOO, but that is of little solace to us that are grieving a life lost because of human failure all the way around. Harambe should have led a wild and free life. It's humans that are creating extinction. Not the best link, but it'll do; http://www.bagheera.com/inthewild/van_anim_gorilla.htm

 

[jjenny]

Mother is responsible for her kid's well being, not bystanders. Kid made it through the barrier and was making a bee line for the enclosure. You go in after the kid, kid jumps in (which seem to have been his intention all along) but you could end up getting blamed for spooking him.

 

[creepcrusher]

He was reportedly heard telling his mother he wants to go into the water (in the enclosure). I don't think he fell in. Much more likely he jumped in. As for the fence, an adult could easily get over it.

I meant fell/jumped in. It looks like he had to go through a few obstacles before landing in the water is what I'm saying. Whether he fell or jumped that was where he wanted to go.


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[krkrjx]

He was reportedly heard telling his mother he wants to go into the water (in the enclosure). I don't think he fell in. Much more likely he jumped in. As for the fence, an adult could easily get over it.

I am still unable to figure out why no adult went over that fence to try to get to the boy before he fell. He was seen, and some adults were calling him to come back but no one went in after him. Why not? If the fence was so easy for an adult to scale, why did not one try to intervene? Apparently it all happened very fast and maybe they would not have caught him in time but it sounds like no one tried.

 

[Ray_of_hope]

Mother is responsible for her kid's well being, not bystanders. Kid made it through the barrier and was making a bee line for the enclosure. You go in after the kid, kid jumps in (which seem to have been his intention all along) but you could end up getting blamed for spooking him.

I agree that legally the mother is responsible, but morally and ethically we are all responsible IMO.

 

[jjenny]

I am still unable to figure out why no adult went over that fence to try to get to the boy before he fell. He was seen, and some adults were calling him to come back but no one went in after him. Why not? If the fence was so easy for an adult to scale, why did not one try to intervene? Apparently it all happened very fast and maybe they would not have caught him in time but it sounds like no one tried.

You go after him, he jumps. Potentially you could be liable because now you are blamed for spooking him.
So, no thanks.

 

[creepcrusher]

I'm just baffled at the Mom getting slammed (not just here but everywhere) but nothing is being said about the bystanders who stood there and did nothing! Someone asked up thread about them not having time. Well from this witness account it sounds to me like there was plenty of time that they could have grabbed him.



I mean seriously who gives a rats *advertiser censored* whose kid it is? Why not just grab him for petes sakes?! That's what I would have done was grab the kid! Not stood there waiting around to see what happened. I'm not saying the mother is innocent in anyway because I actually think ALL parites are at fault including the Zoo who should have had better barriers for a child to not get through.

Above quote taken from here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...om-after-gorilla-shot-to-protect-her-toddler/

To me her statement is saying they tried but he got away so fast they couldn't get to him. They probably had no way of getting to him after he went through the wired fence.


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[MHOrgel]

Apples to oranges comparison. The silverback wasn't "euthanized". He was killed to defend a 4 year old who had already suffered a concussion and whose life was in immediate jeopardy.

 

[monster12]

On the local news (wdiv channel 4) in the Detroit area, they just said there were people in the Detroit Zoo today checking out the enclosures and areas around the animals. They discussed what they would do in times of an emergency. That went on and on about how they try to keep the animals in but always create a space so animals can be comfortable while people can still see them. The closing quote was a nice reminder in all this ... "No matter what they do, enclosures really only work if people respect those barriers and you cannot legislate common sense. "

I never really understood why there were so many stupid warning labels on things when I was younger until I started hearing about the stupid people that do it and sue and somehow win because they don't use common sense or take advantage of the fact they can fight it and win. The world is becoming a sick place.

I know we're talking about a 4 year old and I'm not trying to get into the argument of "well a young kid shouldn't be able to get in or he didn't know better." If it was common for all kids to be free and get in, it would happen daily.

They also had this pic as a lead in to their headline.

Anyone could easily get over that and in if they wanted to while also pointing out how most kids immediately climb up on any type of railing or fencing. It's their caretakers responsibility to teach them to respect barriers, follow directions and when told "no" it means "no".... Not go and do it anyways. As a teacher I will make an "assumption" based on kids I have taught... When they're told no multiple times but still do it usually means they faced no consequences in the past and continue to do whatever they want bc they know they can. No facts or articles to post but many years in a classroom watching it with my own eyes from grades kindergarten to high school.


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[Ray_of_hope]

I am still unable to figure out why no adult went over that fence to try to get to the boy before he fell. He was seen, and some adults were calling him to come back but no one went in after him. Why not? If the fence was so easy for an adult to scale, why did not one try to intervene? Apparently it all happened very fast and maybe they would not have caught him in time but it sounds like no one tried.

ITA, when DH and I heard this on the news we heard the mother yelling something like "Mommy's here" or "It's OK", or some such nonsense, and we looked at one another incredulously and simultaneously blurted out, "I would have been in that moat in a split second. The gorilla can take my life, but not my child's." I do understand that she had other children and that it would be foolhardy but it's a visceral thing... (But since we don't go to the zoo, it's a nonissue for us).

 

[krkrjx]

Maybe, for the safety of animals and humans alike, all zoos should be closed permanently.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I think the pair of male Gorillas at the Detroit Zoo are the same species as Harambe. Here's their profile:

Western Lowland Gorilla

Gorilla gorilla gorilla

At the Detroit Zoo

Half-brothers Chipua (born in 1996), Pendeka (born in 1998) and Kongo-Mbeli (born in 1998) arrived at the Detroit Zoo in 2003 and can be seen at the Great Apes of Harambee – located in the African Forest – a 4-acre habitat that is also home to chimpanzees and drills. The hair on the back of these males has either turned or is turning silver-gray with age, earning them the name “silverback”. Chip became a silverback first and for a while was the most dominant. Now, Kongo is most dominant due to his size. Since Pende has matured into a silverback, he has been less interested in the power struggle. He is characterized by those familiar with him as laid back, sweet and non-confrontational...

http://detroitzoo.org/animals/zoo-animals/gorilla-western-lowland/

 

[Ray_of_hope]

You go after him, he jumps. Potentially you could be liable because now you are blamed for spooking him.
So, no thanks.

True, but I've done dumber things and almost been killed. It's a weird thing and you don't have time to think things through. You just act. :blushing: