One of the zoo’s silverback gorillas, an endangered species, moved toward the child, eventually grabbing his foot and dragging him across the enclosure. “We are all devastated that this tragic accident resulted in the death of a critically-endangered gorilla”, zoo director Thane Maynard said later in a statement.
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CNN reported nine findings in USDA records from the last three years when the Cincinnati zoo was out of compliance with the act, but none of the incidences involved the gorilla compound.
CORRECTS AGE FOR CHILD FROM 4 TO 3- A June 20, 2015 photo provided by the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden shows Harambe, a western lowland gorilla, who was fatal…
People have also taken to social media to heavily critcise the parents of the boy.
Pruett also said he hopes people understand that decisions like Cincinnati’s to shoot the gorilla, don’t come lightly to zoos.
But even as designs change, “there is a requirement that people pay attention to the rules, and they’re supposed to mind their children”, Kagan said.
Days later, the world is still processing the death of a 400 pound gorilla. Minutes later, the gorilla was shot and killed.
“This mother was not negligent and the zoo did an awesome job handling the situation!” wrote one.
Some parents who spoke with FOX13 said railings surrounding some exhibits with risky animals are too low, and the exhibits need to be glassed in.
“So unfortunately, I think it was the wise decision.”
The zoo is not being blamed, but Gregg might be prosecuted for letting her son fall into the gorilla’s enclosure.
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump says the Cincinnati Zoo had little choice but to kill a 17-year-old gorilla after a boy got into its exhibit.
The Gorilla World exhibit has been closed since the incident and will reopen on Saturday.
“It gave me goose bumps because I have a four year-old”, the mother of four said. The gorilla handled the boy, prompting zoo officials to shoot the gorilla dead.
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“We have equipment here on grounds to anesthetize or immobilize an animal through some form of chemical administration whether its delivered by a dart, rifle, blow-pipe or pulsar inch”, Wiley said.
