Zoo officials said the 420lbs gorilla called Harambe was agitated and disoriented and acting erratically before he was shot. A 17-year-old western lowland silverback gorilla, named Harambe, grabbed the boy and dragged him for meters, according to a video footage.
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The zoo also says a number of scientists working on genetic issues related to gorillas have contacted them about using the gorilla’s remains for research. “The trouble with barriers is that whatever the barrier some people can get past it.No, the zoo is not negligent”.
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals released a statement from its primatologist Julia Gallucci saying the zoo should have had better barriers between humans and gorillas.
“This lovely gorilla lost his life because the boy’s parents did not keep a closer watch on the child”, the change.org petition reads.
“It was the right decision made”, Hanna said.
Numerous animal lovers blamed the boy’s parents for their son’s unsafe situation and the animal’s death.
In a Facebook post, the boy’s mother asked others not to judge her because “accidents happen”. His parents said in a statement Sunday that he was “doing just fine”. Stone says he even took him home to spend the night for the first year of his life, “I raised two sons and he was no different than they were, the difference with him is I never changed any diapers when my sons were little”. He was taken to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. “We the undersigned believe that the child would not have been able to enter the enclosure under proper parental supervision”, it says.
Cincinnati Zoo officials killed the gorilla and it’s director said he would “make the same decision again”.
Jack Hanna, host of “Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild”, said the zoo made the right call by shooting the gorilla.
The boy was with the 17-year-old gorilla for about 10 minutes and the zoo’s unsafe animal response team deemed the situation life-threatening, he said. At Zoo Knoxville there are several layers working to protect visitors and gorillas from risky encounters. He says the lesson in this is for parents to treat zoos with the respect they deserve.
The Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas, where Harambe spent most of his life, said its staff is deeply saddened by the gorilla’s death.
Police in Cincinnati, Ohio, US, confirmed they are taking action against the couple.
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IDENTIFIED: The boy’s parents have been identified as 32-year-old Michelle Gregg, administrator at a Cincinnati pre-school and Deonne Dickerson, 36.
