“We sympathize with the Cincinnati Zoo and for the family of the boy alike, ” said Executive Vice President David Brady. “The fact is that a gorilla that just celebrated his birthday has been killed”. Maynard said he is not “pointing fingers” on who to blame for the incident.
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Protesters were planning a vigil at the Cincinnati Zoo on Monday in protest of the animal’s death. Hanna said he saw video of the gorilla jerking the boy through the water and knew what would happen if the animal wasn’t killed. “Ultimately it’s the gorilla that’s paid this price”, he said.
Over 50,000 people have signed a change.org petition to create a law that would hold zoo visitors liable if an endangered animal is harmed or killed due to negligence of visitors.
There has been an outpouring on social media of people upset about the killing.
Earlier animal rights activists staged a vigil for Harambe at the zoo. “We have given literally millions and millions of dollars to preserve these animals, both mountain gorillas and lowland gorillas”. He adds, by law, all zoos are required to have a kill team for emergency situations. He says knowing that doesn’t make it any easier, “My parents they are both gone, and they were both old and they were both sick and they both passed away and I know this is going to sound terrible but it didn’t tear me up as bad as this”.
But the zoo director there said tranquilizers may have made the situation worse by agitating the 450 pound gorilla.
“When gorilla or other apes have things they shouldn’t have, keepers will negotiate with them, bring food, their favorite treats, pineapple or some kind of fruit that they don’t know and negotiate with them”, he said according to Fox5 San Diego.
Mr Maynard said the zoo has received messages of support and condolences from around the world, including from other zoo directors and gorilla experts. Harambe was sent to Cincinnati less than two years ago in hopes he would eventually breed with gorillas there. “You have to be watching your children at all times”.
“People who question that or are Monday morning quarterbacks or second-guessers don’t understand that you can’t take a risk with a silverback gorilla”, he said.
“People can climb over barriers”. Exhibits are inspected by the USDA twice a year and by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums every five years for accreditation, he said.
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Animal rights group PETA said the zoo could have done more to prevent the death with closer monitoring and immediate action after the attack.
