Gorilla Shot Dead after Child Climbs in Enclosure

**Lowell** · May-29-16, 11:34 AM

Ever have to agree with something even though it's so wrong? Well this is one. I have always been conflicted about zoos and this doesn't help.

A 17-year-old gorilla was shot dead Saturday at the Cincinnati Zoo after it grabbed a child who had fallen into its enclosure, officials said.
The 4-year-old boy climbed under a railing and through wires before falling about 10 feet into the Gorilla World exhibit at about 4 p.m., said Cincinnati Zoo director Thayne Maynard.

**gazhekwe** · May-30-16, 11:25 AM

**Zacha341** · May-30-16, 12:20 PM

I feel really bad about the killing of the gorilla however the damage he could have inflicted, even inadvertently [[I had a pet dog that killed my cat accidentally from stepping on her) could have killed the child, so a difficult decision had to be made.

Re. parental responsibility, I'm seeing some problems with children in public sometimes. In some cases parents are too busy wanting to be 'buddies' with their children, rather than parent.

What are the specifics to how this child slipped into the gorilla area? Specifically were the parents not being attentive?

**Zacha341** · May-30-16, 12:31 PM

More info here including photos I didn't see on other news site [[including photos and recap from a former incident):

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...enclosure.html

**Jimaz** · May-30-16, 03:15 PM

They say the barrier passed a safety inspection. I guess they're going to have to rethink that design. It shouldn't be possible for a four-year-old to defeat a barrier.

**Zacha341** · May-31-16, 05:23 AM

Had the child have been killed, we'd be having a different discussion.

**coracle** · May-31-16, 06:52 AM

The people at the zoo made the right decision, acted expeditiously, and didn't loose the boys life. They should be applauded for their actions under pressure. All the assholes in the media can do is stir it up in slow time to "make news"
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...l-history.html

**Pam** · May-31-16, 06:52 AM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

They say the barrier passed a safety inspection. I guess they're going to have to rethink that design. It shouldn't be possible for a four-year-old to defeat a barrier.

This article has a drawing of the gorilla exhibit:

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news...bits/85165924/

**G-DDT** · May-31-16, 02:27 PM

It isn't always about man's need to show he is threatened from nature and how he must flex dominance [[as so many "nature shows" like to fear-monger at us) to extremely encroach and subjugate nature into almost sheer extinction.

Yeah, I think zoos and confining animals suck. Yeah, the mother was negligent. I'm not going to start playing "Ballad of Lucy & Ted" by Phranc or defend the gorilla which got rough.

Yet, if anything Diane Fossey's work proved that Gorillas [[as huge as they are) can be the most gentlest of the primates. The best examples being Koko https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koko_%28gorilla%29and then this situation some folks had the decency to not forget from the 90's.

**Zacha341** · May-31-16, 06:28 PM

Similar news with photos:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ion-world.html

**Honky Tonk** · June-01-16, 07:08 AM

I think they should also shoot both parents.

**coracle** · June-01-16, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

I think they should also shoot both parents.

I don't think anybody would notice because they're not endangered.

**Honky Tonk** · June-01-16, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by coracle

I don't think anybody would notice because they're not endangered.

I agree. Plenty of those around.

**noise** · June-01-16, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

I think they should also shoot both parents.

Give it some time. The kid may still turn out alright.

Some of the posters here, though, did not turn out alright. Time to track down their parents.

**lpg** · June-01-16, 06:15 PM

Heard on tonight's news that mom for the moment will not file suit against the zoo. Most likely will change her mind if charges are brought against her.

**Johnnny5** · June-01-16, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by lpg

Heard on tonight's news that mom for the moment will not file suit against the zoo. Most likely will change her mind if charges are brought against her.

I don't think it's appropriate for the mother to sue, but also don't see how charges against the mother would in any way be possible or appropriate. It's a zoo for heaven's sake. It's basically designed for an audience of mostly young children. If losing sight of your child for a few moments can give a 4 year old full access to gorillas it's definetly a problem with the exibit, not the child's mother.

**lpg** · June-02-16, 06:16 AM

Originally Posted by Johnnny5

I don't think it's appropriate for the mother to sue, but also don't see how charges against the mother would in any way be possible or appropriate. It's a zoo for heaven's sake. It's basically designed for an audience of mostly young children. If losing sight of your child for a few moments can give a 4 year old full access to gorillas it's definetly a problem with the exibit, not the child's mother.

Some of the witness accounts said the kid was not being watched properly and allowed to run around. We took our daughter to the zoo when she was small and kept an eye on her. Same with our grand daughter in later years. You see the same thing at stores. Kids just running wild and parents ignoring what they are up to. Until they get hurt, then it's the stores fault.

**Honky Tonk** · June-02-16, 06:46 AM

Originally Posted by noise

Give it some time. The kid may still turn out alright.

Some of the posters here, though, did not turn out alright. Time to track down their parents.

I'll say...

**Bigb23** · June-02-16, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by lpg

Some of the witness accounts said the kid was not being watched properly and allowed to run around. We took our daughter to the zoo when she was small and kept an eye on her. Same with our grand daughter in later years. You see the same thing at stores. Kids just running wild and parents ignoring what they are up to. Until they get hurt, then it's the stores fault.

Some friends thought I was insane for suggesting 3-4 yr. old children should wear a harness with a lead to prevent them running into traffic or being abducted.

How many small children have you seen shoot out of the automatic doors at a grocery store into traffic lanes where drivers are blowing through stop signs at 25-30 MPH while on a cellphone ?

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**noise** · June-02-16, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

I'll say...

In my parents' defense, they live in Macomb County. A fate worse than death?

**Now&then** · June-02-16, 01:19 PM

The difference between the gorilla in the 90's and the one now is that the one back then was a mother. This one here was a adolescent male going through the aggressiveness that moose, rams, elk and other animals go through.

**Ray1936** · June-02-16, 05:45 PM

Lowell hit the button with me in Post #1 starting this thread. Yes, it's nice to see exotic animals, but damn! I hate to see them unnaturally confined. Sigh. A rock and a hard place.

**RaumVogel** · June-02-16, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by Ray1936

Lowell hit the button with me in Post #1 starting this thread. Yes, it's nice to see exotic animals, but damn! I hate to see them unnaturally confined. Sigh. A rock and a hard place.

Unfortunately,there is a flip side to that.The humans are utilizing so much of the planet surface,they will go extinct UNLESS we keep them in captivity.