Child caught in Gorilla exhibit

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  • Thread starter DiracPool
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In summary: Secondly, we as humans are not always programmed to look for cause and blame. Accidents happen and in this case, the ERT made the right call.
  • #1
DiracPool
1,243
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DiracPool
Investigative reporter
Seattle, Wa

Check this out:



It was an unfortunate and tragic accident, but in my opinion, it was still just an accident. Now we have everyone calling for the heads of not only the zoo officials but also the heads of the parents of the the 4 year old that crawled into the exhibit:

http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/29/us/cincinnati-zoo-gorilla-shot/

One thing the Gorillas have over us is that it isn't necessarily in their nature to try to find cause and blame for every single thing that happens in life. Human's really seem to be genetically programmed to point their fingers at everything around them and assign blame. But sometimes, accidents just happen. What do you think? I'm a part-time primatologist (not field, but research), and I abhor the death of Harambe, but I think the right decision was made by the zoo ERT.

Here's an interesting press conference by the zoo's director, https://www.facebook.com/videos_by

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/new...ital-after-falling-into-gorilla-pen/85095094/
 
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  • #2
fresh_42
dry-nosed primate
Germany

It has been in the news here, too. I can't understand all the excitement. The baby belongs to the by far more aggressive and dangerous species than the gorilla. Why should he have reacted different from how we would have the other way round? After all the silver back is our uncle.
 
  • #3
Dirac pool
Concerned citizen and avid zoo-goer
Seattle, Wa

fresh_42 said:
It has been in the news here, too. I can't understand all the excitement. The baby belongs to the by far more aggressive and dangerous species than the gorilla. Why should he have reacted different from how we would have the other way round? After all the silver back is our uncle.

Well, for starters, I don't think we would have reacted by dragging the child through the moat like King Kong. Yes, we are far more aggressive and dangerous than Gorillas but we are much less unpredictable in a similar circumstance.
 

1. What happened when a child was caught in a gorilla exhibit?

In May 2016, a 3-year-old boy entered the gorilla exhibit at the Cincinnati Zoo and was grabbed and dragged by a 17-year-old male gorilla named Harambe. The gorilla was shot and killed by zoo officials in order to rescue the child.

2. Was the child harmed in the incident?

The child suffered minor injuries from being dragged by the gorilla, but was otherwise unharmed. He was taken to the hospital for evaluation and was released the same day.

3. How did the child get into the gorilla exhibit?

The child's mother was not paying attention and the child climbed over a 3-foot-tall barrier and through some bushes before falling into the moat surrounding the gorilla exhibit.

4. What happened to the gorilla after the incident?

After the incident, the gorilla was shot and killed by zoo officials in order to rescue the child. The decision was made based on the potential danger to the child and the lack of a tranquilizer gun as a safe and timely option.

5. What safety measures were in place to prevent this from happening?

The Cincinnati Zoo had several safety measures in place to prevent incidents like this from happening. These include barriers, fences, and trained staff to monitor and respond to any potential safety concerns. However, despite these measures, accidents can still occur if proper supervision and precautions are not taken by visitors.

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