Cincinnati Zoo Kills Gorilla After 4-Year-Old Boy Falls into Enclosure

The Cincinnati Zoo killed a 17-year-old gorilla on May 28 after a 4-year-old boy fell into the animal's enclosure. The zoo officials had no choice but to shoot and kill the gorilla, named Harambe, after he began dragging the boy around.

The zoo stated that they made the decision to kill Harambe based on the "dangerous circumstances" and that they did not want to see harm come to the boy. Witnesses reported that Harambe was acting protective of the boy and appeared to be trying to shepherd him to safety.

But many people feel that the zoo should have done something else besides shoot and kill the gorilla. Some have even started a Change.org petition asking for the director of the Cincinnati Zoo to be fired. The petition has already garnered over 350,000 signatures.

Others have taken to social media to express their outrage over what happened. One woman tweeted, "That gorilla was protecting that child! You all are disgusting!" And another person said, "I don't blame Harambe for killing that child. I blame the parents for being negligent af [sic]."

Despite the outcry, though, it seems that most people agree that shooting and killing Harambe was probably the right thing to do in this situation.

Harambe, the Gorilla, Sparks Outrage and Mourning on Social Media

In May of 2016, a three-year-old boy fell into the gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo. Harambe, a 450-pound western lowland gorilla, grabbed the child and dragged him around the exhibit before staffers shot and killed the ape.

The incident sparked outrage on social media, with some commenters accusing zoo officials of overreacting in shooting Harambe. A Change.org petition calling for "Justice for Harambe" garnered more than half a million signatures.

Some people also created memes mourning the death of Harambe. Memes typically involve humor, but many of those circulated in reference to Harambe were somber in tone, depicting the gorilla as a sympathetic figure.

In October of 2016, a federal grand jury indicted zoo director Thane Maynard on two counts of misdemeanor negligence in relation to the death of Harambe. In December of 2017, a judge dismissed the charges against Maynard.

Gorilla Shot at Cincinnati Zoo After 4-Year-Old Boy Falls into Enclosure

A 4-year-old boy climbed over a 3-foot railing and fell into the Gorilla World exhibit at the Cincinnati Zoo on Saturday, triggering swift action by zoo employees. One zoo worker, who is a member of the Cincinnati Police Department, shot and killed the 17-year-old male gorilla named Harambe.

The child was treated at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center for non-life-threatening injuries and was released on Sunday. His family has asked for privacy.

Zoo Director Thane Maynard said at a news conference on Saturday that it was a "very sad day" and that the zoo did everything it could to save the life of the gorilla. He also said that he would have made the same decision to shoot the gorilla if he were in danger of being hurt or killed.

Maynard added that visitors were never in danger during the incident.

Gorilla World remained closed on Sunday as officials continued their investigation.

Cincinnati Zoo Kills 17-Year-Old Gorilla After 4-Year-Old Boy Falls into Enclosure

The Cincinnati Zoo has come under scrutiny after a 4-year-old boy fell into the gorilla enclosure and was subsequently killed by 17-year-old Harambe. The zoo defended their decision to shoot the gorilla, saying that they made the decision in order to save the boy's life. The incident has raised questions about zoo safety and the way that zoos handle dangerous animals.

Some people have argued that the zoo should have tranquilized Harambe rather than shooting him, but others say that it would have been too dangerous to do so. "Tranquilizing him would not have had the desired effect," said Thane Maynard, director of the Cincinnati Zoo. "It's important to note that with any kind of drugs, there is always a risk it could backfire."

Maynard also noted that this was not the first time someone had fallen into the gorilla enclosure. In 1999, a 3-year-old boy fell into the enclosure and was dragged around by an 8-year-old gorilla named Binti Jua. Jua protected the boy and returned him to his mother unharmed.

While some people are calling for better safety measures at zoos, others are arguing that gorillas should not be kept in captivity at all. "Gorillas are incredibly intelligent creatures and they deserve to be free," said Jane Goodall, a world-renowned primatologist. "Keeping them in cages is cruel and unacceptable."

The Cincinnati Zoo says that it will review its safety procedures in light of this tragedy, but many people are already calling for it to close down altogether. What do you think? Should zoos be doing more to keep people safe? Or is it time to let gorillas live in the wild where they belong?

Cincinnati Zoo defends shooting of gorilla after 4-year-old boy falls into exhibit

Cincinnati Zoo officials said Monday that a 4-year-old boy who fell into a gorilla exhibit was not dragged off by the animal, as first reported, but rather was rescued after being dropped by the 400-pound primate.

The clarification came after authorities shot and killed the 17-year-old western lowland silverback gorilla named Harambe on Saturday out of concern for the boy's safety.

Many social media users and animal rights activists criticized the Cincinnati Zoo for killing Harambe, with some calling for the boy's parents to be prosecuted.

In a statement, zoo officials said that video footage of the incident showed that Harambe "wasn't dragging or throwing" the child. They added that the animal was "standing over" him in a protective manner.

Zoo officials also said they made the decision to shoot Harambe because he was beginning to agitate and move violently with the child in his grasp.