Zoo staff take no chances as child’s mother is shot

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

I'm always disappointed when I read something like this

1. Because there are still people who post things like this.

2. Because a post like this still hasn't been removed.

Sadly, there's more of them out there than we care to admit. That's the dark side of the internet.

[OriZ 3,157]

Some adults deliberately jumped into the animal enclosure.

This zoo should just let the man died instead!

http://fox6now.com/2016/05/22/zoo-officials-killed-two-lions-to-save-suicidal-man-who-jumped-into-big-cats-enclosure/

Why is our life so much more important than that of a gorilla? OR a lion? What makes it so important, especially when we're the ones to put it in that situation?

Mind you I am not a big fan of lions, of the big cats I'll take the cheetah

Edited June 2, 2016 by OriZ

[lostinblue 1,989]

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

I'm always disappointed when I read something like this

1. Because there are still people who post things like this.

2. Because a post like this still hasn't been removed.

Exactly.

[Pitaya 2,577]

~Numerous posts removed for TOS violation, quoting removed post; or posting off-topic and non-contributory~

~Post constructively, or do NOT post~

~Several members thread banned~

Make comments in a Post either direct or implied toward another member that are purposely designed to upset, antagonize, make fun of, belittle, harass, insult, or otherwise instigate an argument that takes away from the personal enjoyment of the Service by other users.

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[The Nature Boy 7,659]

Some 15-20 years ago I think it was.. a kid fell into a gorilla enclosure at a zoo. The gorilla actually did an excellent and instinctual job of taking care of the child that was injured. The best part is it had a great outcome. To ensure that in the event someone did fall into the pen, they trained the gorillas to bring ''doll objects'' etc to them gently. This gorilla simply walked over to the keepers and put it safely down.

I see no reason why this gorilla had to die. The keepers were tremendously slow on response time, and as long as they took to ''do something'' about it, other methods could have been employed. Yes gorillas are wild, curious, and very dangerous animals, and yes there was significant risk to the child, and it very likely could have died if the gorilla had been angry, spooked, or simply thought the child was a toy.

The ability for a small child to easily slip into this pen means there was severe lack of security at this zoo. But beyond that, though I know she won't be charged the mother should be held responsible for child endangerment/recklessness, and there should be consequences in repaying damages for the loss of the animal.

edit: found the article. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2016/06/01/when-a-toddler-fell-into-a-zoo-enclosure-20-years-ago-he-was-saved-by-a-gorilla/

The gorilla is extremely dangerous and territorial. The child was in mortal danger . They made the right call.

As for the mother.Unless you know exactly what happened don't judge her. Parents turn Thier backs for a second and stuff happens . I am sure she is very upset .

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

I been so busy I must have missed something. Darn .

How in hades can you misbehave in a dead gorilla thread.

We finally get one Non Rob DDS thread and one of you knuckle heads screws up.

I bet it was Val wasn't it

[yuna628 9,671]

The gorilla is extremely dangerous and territorial. The child was in mortal danger . They made the right call.

As for the mother.Unless you know exactly what happened don't judge her. Parents turn Thier backs for a second and stuff happens . I am sure she is very upset .

I grew up with old fashioned parents. My tiny hands never left the hands of my parents or siblings during outings. And in moments when it did, I never thought to go scampering off into a pen (possibly because it'd be likely I'd get a wuppin', the zoo had proper barriers, but most likely because I respected my parents and had sense not to go wandering off... and pretty much because there was never a ''just a second'' excuse moment - they watched like hawks).

Yet of course wherever I go, I see parents that can't be bothered to actually watch their kids. It's always the excuse of ''it was just a second'', but usually it's because they are too busy staring at their phones or drained by life. In Europe I was fascinated at the use of 'leashes' as if this replaced the need to watch a child at all so long as they were tethered to you like a dog.

I'm sure she's upset. She put her child in a dangerous situation and has caused the loss of the life of an irreplaceable endangered animal.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

Good read

Amanda O’Donoughue: Gorillas aren’t child-killers, but that child was in danger

http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/latest-columns/20160601-a-former-zookeeper-clears-up-some-misconceptions-a.ece

I worked with gorillas as a zookeeper at the Knoxville Zoo from January 2006 until August of 2008; after that I volunteered doing sanctuary work and wildlife rehab. Of the dozens of animals I worked with closely, gorillas were my favorite, for their soulfulness, curiosity, and playfulness. Since the news emerged last weekend that Cincinnati Zoo officials shot and killed the gorilla known as Harambe after a little boy fell into his enclosure, I’ve realized that there are some misconceptions out there about both the gorilla species itself and how a zoo operates in emergency situations. Here, I’d like to try to clear up those misconceptions.

Gorillas are often considered “gentle giants,” at least when compared with their more aggressive cousins, the chimpanzee. But a 450-pound male such as Harambe has the strength of roughly 10 adult humans. What can you bench-press? Now multiply that number by 10. An adult male silverback gorilla has one job: to protect his group. He does this by bluffing or intimidating anyone and anything that he feels threatened by.

Gorillas are considered a Class I mammal, the most dangerous class of mammals in the animal kingdom, again, merely due to their size and strength. They are grouped in with other apes as well as tigers, lions, and bears. In a zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, keepers do not work in direct contact with gorillas; they never share an enclosed space with these animals. There is always a welded mesh barrier between the animal and the humans.

In recent decades, zoos have begun to redesign enclosures, removing all obvious caging in the attempt to create a seamless view of the animals in a more natural-looking habitat. Many viewing areas have glass fronts or more elaborate designs, including moats and waterfalls, as a means to keep the animals safely inside their enclosures. Walkways are lined with basic guard rails and shrubbery that can be breached, with strong enough intentions. This is fine, until little children begin falling into exhibits. This of course can happen to anyone, especially in a crowded zoo setting.

I have watched the video of Harambe and the little boy over and over again. The silverback's posturing and tight lips are a sign of agitation, a signal that the animal was stressed. Like humans, great apes have many different facial expressions that reveal what they are feeling. When a gorilla stands tense on his knuckles with shoulders high and lips tucked in tight, he is ready to intimidate whatever is threatening him.

Gorillas can be kind, curious, and sometimes silly, but they are also very large, very strong animals. I always brought my OCD to work with me, checking and rechecking locks to make sure my animals and I remained separated before entering.

I keep hearing on the news and on social media that the gorilla appeared to be trying to protect the boy from the yelling onlookers. I do not think this was the case. Harambe reaches for the boy’s hands and arms, but only to position the child better for his own displaying purposes. Males perform very elaborate displays when highly agitated, slamming and dragging things about, as Harambe did with the young child. Typically, male gorillas in captivity (and in the wild) will drag around large branches, barrels, and heavy-weighted balls to make as much noise as possible — not in an effort to hurt anyone or anything (usually), but just to intimidate. It is clear to me from Harambe’s body language that he was reacting to the screams from the gathering crowd and possibly from the child himself.

Harambe was most likely not going to separate himself from that child without seriously hurting him first, again, due to mere size and strength, not malicious intent. Why didn't the staff use food to lure Harambe away from the boy? I am under the impression that the keepers called the animals “off exhibit,” which is usually done using food as a lure; the females shifted into their indoor enclosures, but Harambe would not leave the boy. What better treat for a captive animal than a real live kid?

Tranquilizers may sound like a great option, but they weren’t used likely for a few different reasons. First, it would have taken too long to immobilize Harambe with tranquilizers, and in the intervening time, he could have seriously injured or killed the child. Second, it’s possible that Harambe could have drowned in the moat if immobilized in the water, which meant that he could have trapped the boy beneath him and drowned him as well.

Many zoos have the protocol to call on their expertly trained dart team in the event of an animal escape or when a human is trapped with a dangerous animal. They will evaluate the scene as quickly and as safely as possible, and will make the most informed decision as how they will handle the animal. I can't point fingers at anyone in this situation, but what’s needed is a reevaluation of the safety of the animal enclosures from the visitors’ side.

It’s easy to build an exhibit so that the animals cannot escape. What is difficult is building an exhibit that showcases the animals in a natural-looking environment that mimics its wild counterpart without using caging. Caging impedes the patrons’ views of the animal, and many zoos have moved away from cages for purely aesthetic reasons. Zoo visitors want to be able to see the animals at all times, but more recent designs allows for animals to move off exhibit and out of sight if they feel the need, giving them places to hide and reducing their stress levels. Many exhibits designed in this way offer a view from above; moats and waterfalls, hills and valleys are carefully laid out to give the patron and the exhibited animal exactly what they need from the experience.

One thing I know for sure is that the keepers in Cincinnati lost a gorgeous silverback, and a friend. I feel their loss with them. As educators and conservators of endangered species, all we can do is shine a light on the beauty and majesty of these animals in hopes of sparking a love and a need to keep them from vanishing from our planet. Child killers, they are not. It's unfortunate for the boy and his family, for the conservation of the species, and for a beautiful zoo such as Cincinnati’s.

[OriZ 3,157]

The point is not whether or not the boy was in danger. It still was not the gorilla's fault and the gorilla should not have to pay for parents not knowing how to care for their kids these days.

If the zoo staff sat on their hands and the child got killed, it would still be nobody else's fault but the parents. NOT the gorilla's, NOT the zoo's. It would be tragic, but who are we to pick one over the other?

I grew up with old fashioned parents. My tiny hands never left the hands of my parents or siblings during outings. And in moments when it did, I never thought to go scampering off into a pen (possibly because it'd be likely I'd get a wuppin', the zoo had proper barriers, but most likely because I respected my parents and had sense not to go wandering off... and pretty much because there was never a ''just a second'' excuse moment - they watched like hawks).

Yet of course wherever I go, I see parents that can't be bothered to actually watch their kids. It's always the excuse of ''it was just a second'', but usually it's because they are too busy staring at their phones or drained by life. In Europe I was fascinated at the use of 'leashes' as if this replaced the need to watch a child at all so long as they were tethered to you like a dog.

I'm sure she's upset. She put her child in a dangerous situation and has caused the loss of the life of an irreplaceable endangered animal.

It is a real shame how people can't control their kids these days. Every time my wife and I are out I want to start kicking at little kids that keep running at my feet. Then they wonder why they turn into little monsters later on.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

Well it's not the cows fault I ate a juicy burger tonight , but if I got to choose to eat or if a cow dies. The cow dies every time. Sorry but the kids life wins over the gorilla everytime.

As to your points on child raising. I 100 agree

[Janelle2002 3,865]

Well it's not the cows fault I ate a juicy burger tonight , but if I got to choose to eat or if a cow dies. The cow dies every time. Sorry but the kids life wins over the gorilla everytime.

As to your points on child raising. I 100 agree

Great post!! +1000000

The point is not whether or not the boy was in danger. It still was not the gorilla's fault and the gorilla should not have to pay for parents not knowing how to care for their kids these days.

If the zoo staff sat on their hands and the child got killed, it would still be nobody else's fault but the parents. NOT the gorilla's, NOT the zoo's. It would be tragic, but who are we to pick one over the other?

It is a real shame how people can't control their kids these days. Every time my wife and I are out I want to start kicking at little kids that keep running at my feet. Then they wonder why they turn into little monsters later on.

Why do plants have to die so humans and wear clothes and smoke them?

Let's all go around naked and eat nothing!

[Transborderwife 4,666]

Some people have been posting abortion memes in regards to this. I don't understand them

[Janelle2002 3,865]

Some people have been posting abortion memes in regards to this. I don't understand them

Me either

[Jacque67 7,328]

Great post!! +1000000

Why do plants have to die so humans and wear clothes and smoke them?

Let's all go around naked and eat nothing!

Only a misanthrope would chose the gorilla .