Endangered Gorilla shot to protect young boy

[fuji]

Right decision:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/vide...136a14-259a-11e6-8329-6104954928d2_video.html

 

[LeeHelm]

Right decision:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/vide...136a14-259a-11e6-8329-6104954928d2_video.html

Wrong decision. They should have shot the parents. I will wager the parents placed the boy in a place where he has able to fall into the exhibit. I don't buy the story in the video that the kid crawled there. He was just 4 years old. If he did actually crawl into the exhibit then I would imagine that took some time. Where where the parents that whole time? But I still say when all the details are known it is going to turn out the parents placed the kid up on a rail where he could get a better view of the gorilla.

and I didn't see any "dragging" in the videos I saw. What I saw was a wild animal trying to care for a small human the the best he can. If it weren't for all of the idiots handing over the exhibit and screaming the kid could have spent the afternoon in there.

 

[Conway_Stewart]

The zoo officials made the right choice.

Were the parents negligent in allowing this situation to unfold in the first place? Possibly...I don't know what happened...but that's not the point.

However this situation arose, the zoo officials had to deal with a 4-year-old child trapped in a gorilla enclosure. If the gorilla had become agitated and killed the child (an entirely realistic concern) the zoo officials would be in an indefensible position. How would they explain why they chose not to kill the gorilla? They could not...and they'd probably be liable in facing both civil and criminal charges.

Terrible situation but the zoo officials had no choice.

 

[solidness]

Wrong decision. They should have shot the parents. I will wager the parents placed the boy in a place where he has able to fall into the exhibit. I don't buy the story in the video that the kid crawled there. He was just 4 years old. If he did actually crawl into the exhibit then I would imagine that took some time. Where where the parents that whole time? But I still say when all the details are known it is going to turn out the parents placed the kid up on a rail where he could get a better view of the gorilla.

and I didn't see any "dragging" in the videos I saw. What I saw was a wild animal trying to care for a small human the the best he can. If it weren't for all of the idiots handing over the exhibit and screaming the kid could have spent the afternoon in there.

Put your kid in there, then see if your post looks the same.

 

[dbiz2]

Blame entirely on the parents for negligence, but also on the zoo for not sufficiently assuring that NO child could crawl under any protective apparatus/screening and get into that exhibit. Rest assured the parents have had a flood of calls from the ambulance chasers and will file a lawsuit within the next 30 days.

 

[Insidious Von]

Regrettably yes, a fully grown silverback can rip the arm off a 250 lbs linebacker without effort.

These are educated eco tourist. By showing subservience, the silverback felt no need to assert his territorial claim. Gorillas are not aggressive like chimpanzees.

 

[eznutz]

 

[Insidious Von]

That enclosure is unsafe. That silverback was HUGE, and priceless. The Cincinnati Zoo just took a big financial hit. Obtaining another silverback is next to impossible.

 

[Celticman]

This.

And the mother has the nerve to be all 'Mommy's right here' all throughout the video, bitch where were you while your child was climbing into the enclosure?

In Canada, Children's Aid might be involved. In this case, perhaps rightly so.

 

[LeeHelm]

Regrettably yes, a fully grown silverback can rip the arm off a 250 lbs linebacker without effort.

These are educated eco tourist. By showing subservience, the silverback felt no need to assert his territorial claim. Gorillas are not aggressive like chimpanzees.

That has to take a lot of willpower to not look with that gorilla so close. Making eye contact is one of the worst things you can do with a male gorilla.

 

[LeeHelm]

Put your kid in there, then see if your post looks the same.

It should have never happened in the first place. I heard that the kid told mom he wanted to go into the water. That should have been a signal right there. Chances are she was too freaking busy posting about the experience on Facebook.

I hope someone checks her cell phone records.

 

[Chloë.]

this.

And the mother has the nerve to be all 'mommy's right here' all throughout the video, bitch where were you while your child was climbing into the enclosure?

THIS. Lol!

 

[jonskis]

This is really sad. The clips I've seen show all show the silverback's body language, and he was definitely not acting like he was threatened by the boy. If anything, he hears the screaming and shouting, and perceives THAT as a threat to the boy. Hence the gentle prodding (well, as gentle as a male gorilla would be with his own kind) and sheltering the boy away from onlookers. And the zookeepers know this.

Unfortunately, the zookeepers know that having taken protective custody of the boy, the silverback wouldn't likely give him up or move away without a fight. And so, the silverback dies.

Right decision. But really really sad.

What's worst is that the age of social media, now and into the future, there's zero chance that little boy will not know of his part in the destruction of such a magnificent creature; now, and as he gets older.

This one is on the parents. And I hope the zoo sues them for the cost of any improvements to that enclosure while it exists in order to have more secure separation between people and the remaining gorillas.

 

[LeeHelm]

I was a docent at our local zoo. As part of the training, we had to visit each of the enclosures of the larger animals behind the scenes. I was within 3 feet of a male silver back. Of course he was on the other side of some very thick bars. It was an amazing experience. You could see that there was something going on behind those eyes. That day I learned that these wonderful animals.

 

[Conway_Stewart]

Many are outraged with the parents

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/ent...senseless-killing_uk_574b2081e4b03e9b9ed5deb5

A petition has been launched urging police and zoo authorities to hold the parents of the child who entered a gorilla’s enclosure at Cincinnati Zoo - leading to its shooting - responsible for the “senseless death”.

Zoo officials shot Harambe, a critically-endangered 17-year-old gorilla, on Saturday after the 4-year-old climbed through a public barrier and fell into the Gorilla World moat.

Zoo officials said they shot the 400lb animal when the situation became “life-threatening” for the child. Harambe had picked the child up and had stayed with him for about 10 minutes.

A petition has been launching calling on authorities to hold the parent’s of the child seen above to be held responsible for the subsequent shooting of the gorilla
A petition was launched around 5pm Sunday and within an hour had almost 2,000 signatures. A Facebook page, Justice for Harambe, was also started and has over 3,000 Likes.

The petition detailed what led to the shooting, before laying the blame on the child’s parents.

It reads: “This beautiful gorrila lost his life because the boy’s parents did not keep their eye on him. If they would of he would have not been able to get inside the enclosure. These parents should be held accountable for their actions of not surpervising their child. Please sign this petition to encourage the Cincinnati Zoo and police department hold them responsible.”

It's a terrible situation that needs to be investigated...but I'll withhold judgment until we better understand what went wrong here.

 

[solidness]

It should have never happened in the first place. I heard that the kid told mom he wanted to go into the water. That should have been a signal right there. Chances are she was too freaking busy posting about the experience on Facebook.

I hope someone checks her cell phone records.

Agree 100 percent, but the kid should not have to pay with his life, for stupid adults.

 

[**Sophie**]

 

[jsanchez]

This is really sad. The clips I've seen show all show the silverback's body language, and he was definitely not acting like he was threatened by the boy. If anything, he hears the screaming and shouting, and perceives THAT as a threat to the boy. Hence the gentle prodding (well, as gentle as a male gorilla would be with his own kind) and sheltering the boy away from onlookers. And the zookeepers know this.

Unfortunately, the zookeepers know that having taken protective custody of the boy, the silverback wouldn't likely give him up or move away without a fight. And so, the silverback dies.

Right decision. But really really sad.

What's worst is that the age of social media, now and into the future, there's zero chance that little boy will not know of his part in the destruction of such a magnificent creature; now, and as he gets older.

This one is on the parents. And I hope the zoo sues them for the cost of any improvements to that enclosure while it exists in order to have more secure separation between people and the remaining gorillas.

+1
Couldn't have said it better.
Had that silverback been agressive or felt threatened by the boy's presence, this would've turned ugly in a few short seconds.

 

[jsanchez]

...These are educated eco tourist. By showing subservience, the silverback felt no need to assert his territorial claim. Gorillas are not aggressive like chimpanzees.

Cool video, don't think this works with bears though!

 

[harryass]

This is really sad. The clips I've seen show all show the silverback's body language, and he was definitely not acting like he was threatened by the boy. If anything, he hears the screaming and shouting, and perceives THAT as a threat to the boy. Hence the gentle prodding (well, as gentle as a male gorilla would be with his own kind) and sheltering the boy away from onlookers. And the zookeepers know this.

Unfortunately, the zookeepers know that having taken protective custody of the boy, the silverback wouldn't likely give him up or move away without a fight. And so, the silverback dies.

Right decision. But really really sad.

What's worst is that the age of social media, now and into the future, there's zero chance that little boy will not know of his part in the destruction of such a magnificent creature; now, and as he gets older.

This one is on the parents. And I hope the zoo sues them for the cost of any improvements to that enclosure while it exists in order to have more secure separation between people and the remaining gorillas.

+1 Agree. Its completely the STUPID parents fault.