Killing the Gorilla

I am so on the fence about this hearing both sides all the time..

I have an escape artist kid. I lost him one time at Disney while holding his hand-he was an absolute ninja when it came to slipping away. He would have been that kid who snuck into a zoo enclosure. Because of how good he was at slipping away, there were all kinds of things that I had to do keep him close. Zoos were one of the most stressful places for me because I had to almost glue the kid to me. What really didn't help was that there are always petting areas within the zoo and as a little kid, he never could understand why it was okay to pet and feed the goats and not be able to pet and feed the panthers.

I am sorry the kid worked his way into the enclosure. I am sorry the person who was in charge in of him fell down on their job to keep track of the kid. I am sorry that the gorilla got shot. 

Seems like a horrible situation all the way around.

There have been instances of gorillas saving a child and I doubt that his initial intent was harm.... But people were screaming... The child was screaming and it was pretty apparent that Harambe was getting agitated. And a gorilla is a very powerful animal. He doesn't have to intend harm to cause harm to a child. He was also a young male with no parenting experience.

I, myself, am heartsick over this. I volunteer at my zoo (docent for 8 years - not Cincy but I have been there many times) and I love these animals. I also know that kids can get away in just a moment of distraction. I am so grateful that our gorillas are behind glass or bars to keep the public away from them. That doesn't mean that I haven't caught a guest reaching over and trying to give a gorilla food ( told me they knew the keeper and it was ok... Uh... No!). And another docent came upon a visitor trying to hand a gorilla a lit cigarette!

But my best story is the day I had been showing pictures and things to a young gorilla ( through the glass). . When I left, she reached through the bars as I walked by, holding out a clover flower to me. I so wanted to take it... But didn't dare.

I didn't give anyone a "pass"-I said that without knowing the entire story, I was unwilling to pass judgement.

The whole thing is sad. Start to finish.

No! The gun was a last resort! And, unfortunately, Harambe was not retreating, don't you think that his keepers loved him and did everything they could to avoid the shooting ?! If not, you have very little understanding of the work that keepers do. They don't just throw in food and clean up poop. They form a real connection with the animals in their care as evidenced by many reports of the reunions of animal and keeper after the keeper or the animal has had to move away

I've been this way for many, many years. I will not visit zoos, which are indeed for entertainment and nothing like a museum, Sea World, the circus, or any other place non domesticated animals are in captivity. You can save endangered species without opening it up to the public for entertainment purposes.

It's a truly sad situation.

I feel the zoo staff did what they had to do, in the end. As loved as the gorilla was, there is no way you could forsake an innocent young child's life.

Just sad, sad all around.

I am also puzzled that the zoo personnel didn't clear the area immediately. Once at Disney's Animal Kingdom, we were asked to vacate the Gorilla Falls exhibit because two young males were getting ready to rumble, and staff didn't want to take the chance that visitors would add to the tension. Nor did they want anyone to get hurt if the males got out of hand. As far as I know, no one was in immediate danger. But they weren't taking any chances.

This whole situation is just sad.

@dottyscrapper

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you're saying? It appears they did clear people from the area.

www.cbsnews.com/news/outrage-after-gorilla-harambe-killed-at-cincinnati-zoo-to-save-child/

dani-mani At the actual time the animal was shot? Because it's my understanding the area was cleared.

To follow up on my previous comment, I understand that a more primary purpose of conservancy has developed at zoos. That's great. It's just I think it's time to do that work without the public spectacle where these unfortunate freak situations have even the smallest of chances to occur.

I also think it's ludicrous to blame the parents. Blessed are those of you who have never had a strong willed child or turned your head at the wrong time and been lucky that nothing bad happened as a result. I watched my son like a hawk when he was young. I only had two kids. I am a *good* parent. Yet, he still managed to leave our house one day at 3 years of age and walked down the lane behind our house where he walked over nearly 2 acres away. He was going to visit the neighbors! He knocked on their door, announced himself when they answered and walked in. I *thought* he was playing with his sister watching TV. I was in the basement doing laundry. Never gave thought he'd up and walk out the door. Thankfully, we live in a rural environment and where he walked was safe from traffic.

Reminds of me when many of us were not parents who "tsk'd, tsk'd" the parenting skills of others. Only to have our own children and realizew there's no manual, there's no perfect parenting method available to follow, 99% of us just doing the best we can.

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I wouldnt, I'd still be criticizing the parent. This is 100% the parent and the child's fault

I have a small child and fully understand how quick they are and how fast things occur.

However what I had read was this mother was alone at the zoo with many small children, on a busy holiday weekend, and this child mentioned wanting to get closer. The fact that she was aware of his intent, was obviously overwhelmed with the volume of her other kids (or this couldn't have occurred) and had the poor judgement of taking them all on a holiday weekend alone - I do feel she is responsible.

As another person stated I hope she is heavily reviewed to ensure she or they can properly care for all their kids at one time.

Thank goodness this child is okay and how absolutely tragic that an endangered species was killed due to a parents poor judgments.

I am completely in agreement. You wrote what I have been thinking. All the perfect parents will feel differently. Also, I support conservancy, but spectacle is different. Humans are some of the most heartless animals on the planet, and I wouldn't want to be on display for them and at their mercy.