A routine inspection April 4-7 that included the gorilla area didn’t find any violations, another report said.
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Trump acknowledged that it was “a very tough call” but said a child was at stake.
“The mother’s like, ‘No, you’re not”.
Witness Kim O’Connor shared video she and her family recorded with WLWT-TV of the boy and Harambe.
The zoo’s director said the Dangerous Animal Response Team decided against using a tranquilizer because it would take a while to set in and would agitate the gorilla.
Maynard said the zoo had received messages of support and condolences from around the world, including from other zoo directors and gorilla experts.
Maynard says the western lowland gorilla was extreme strong and could crush a coconut in its hand.
Still, angry animal lovers expressed outrage that the child had slipped into the enclosure.
However, Miller says tranquilising the gorilla wouldn’t have worked as it would have frightened it and led to a more risky situation for the boy.
“Gorillas don’t attack. They are a peaceful species”, she said.
“Remember something, no one loves gorillas more than the Columbus Zoo, the Cincinnati Zoo and the zoo world”, Hanna said.
(AP Photo/John Minchillo). Thane Maynard, director of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, speaks during a news conference, Monday, May 30, 2016, in Cincinnati.
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.
The situation ended very differently when a man reached into the bear exhibit at the Roosevelt Park Zoo in Minot, North Dakota.
“Not everyone shares the same opinion and that’s OK”, he said.
People on social media have also been quick to point out the similarities between these two incidents and that of Harambe. The boy was treated at a hospital and released that same day. His parents said in a statement Sunday that he was “doing just fine”.
Critics are calling for the parents to be charged with child negligence – and the death of an endangered animal.
Police are investigating how the toddler got into the enclosure but say there is no question of charges being brought against the parents.
Almost half of responders said that they did not, while about a third agree with the decision. “It’s beyond anything you’ve ever wanted to watch”, explained Hanna. The Houston Zoo opened its new gorilla habitat one year ago and it’s among the top draws.
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Maynard says the zoo is reviewing security measures to ensure both visitors and animals are safe. The zoo said earlier this year it plans to expand the exhibit.
