Angry commenters wrote on the zoo’s Facebook page, and at least three change.org petitions are being circulated on behalf of the gorilla, including one with more than 200,000 signatures calling for the parents of the child to be held accountable. Authorities did not identify the child or his parents.
Advertisement
Animal lovers turned their anger toward the parents while mourning the death of the gorilla, lighting candles and holding “Rest in Peace” signs at the vigil.
The most popular “Justice for Harambe” petition seeks police action and also urges child protective services to investigate the boy’s home to guard against “further incidents of negligence”.
O’Connor said she heard the boy joke with his mother about going into the moat.
The unidentified boy was taken to Children’s Hospital and released Saturday evening.
“For those of you that have seen the news or been on social media that was my son that fell in the gorilla exhibit at the zoo”.
“I am forever thankful to Jambo as obviously it could have gone one or two ways”, Levan Merritt said in an interview earlier this year.
Staff in Cincinnati shot and killed Harambe, a 17-year-old endangered lowland gorilla, after a four-year-old boy fell into its enclosure and was dragged by the animal.
Maynard said zoo visitors have been leaving flowers at the exhibit and asking how they could support gorilla conservation.
The zoo’s director, Thane Maynard, has defended its decision to kill the gorilla, saying a tranquilier wouldn’t have immediately felled the creature, who was strong enough to crush a coconut, leaving the child in danger.
“The gorilla was “clearly agitated” and “clearly disoriented”, stated Maynard”.
“The trouble with barriers is that people can get past them”, Maynard said.
The family was visiting the zoo on Saturday when the boy slipped away and entered the enclosure.
Officials made the decision to shoot Harambe because the boy was in “imminent danger”.
Advertisement
Video taken by onlookers shows 17-year-old Herambe dragging the boy around after he reportedly crawled through a barrier before falling into the moat area of the enclosure at Cincinnati Zoo. She asked others not to judge her because “accidents happen”. “I don’t feel like he wanted to harm him”. An additional 765 gorillas dwell in zoos worldwide. A primate expert with the group said that it appeared that the animal was trying to protect the boy and referenced other similar situations where this sort of incident has occurred. We hope that you will respect our privacy at this time’.
