Gorilla Shot Dead at Cincinnati Zoo After Child Climbs in Enclosure

[Max Cow Disease]

I'm not a huge fan of caging up an animal solely for the purpose of being peered at by mouth-breathing humans, though I do understand that many zoo programs do as much or more work related to animal conservation and well-being as they do for the exhibits themselves.

I can't fault the staff on this one. Zookeepers would in most instances, I imagine, be incredibly attached to the animals in their charge and would be the least inclined of anybody to harm them.

[RougeUnderoos]

The vitriol aimed (not just here) at this child's mother is fascinating.

Who of us didn't get away from our mom at some point when we were small kids? Never wandered off in the mall? At the Stampede? The zoo? I know I did.

This was a one-in-a-billion accident that people are calling gross irresponsibility and terrible neglect. I mean come on, it's a gorilla cage. Who thinks a little kid could get into something a silverback can't get out of?

"Keep a keen eye on Jimmy, he might get into the gorilla cage, it's not very secure!"

As for the gorilla protecting the kid, my level of gorilla behaviour expertise is at the same level as the average person's—zero—so I realize saying this is pointless, but it didn't look to me like the gorilla was in "protection mode". It looked pretty agitated, for what I would say is good reason.

It stinks that the gorilla had to die of course, but the story would be much worse if the gorilla hurt or killed the kid, and then they shot him, because that's what they would have done.

[Northendzone]

I am not an expert on zoo safety or gorillas; however, the story is sad because the zookeepers were put in a spot where they had to put down an animal and it is easy to be a Monday morning QB and blame this on the mom.

sometimes, no matter how well something is designed (in this case it was the gorilla enclosure), somebody figures out a way to beat the system (in this case the kid)

[CaptainCrunch]

Once again people behind the anonymity of the internet and social avengers have completely screwed up their interpretation of this and shifted blame to the mother.

People without kids and no clue screaming "What a horrible mother, boourn her"

Talking heads beaking away about the mothers failures to have her kid on a leash, while they bemoan their in home nanny service.

I'm sad that a gorilla died, its a tragedy, but for people to go on a all out war against the mother is stupid, its not like she hired a hunting team to stalk the gorilla and kill it so she can have its head on the wall and have sex with her husband in front of a roaring fire on its pelt.

[calf]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Once again people behind the anonymity of the internet and social avengers have completely screwed up their interpretation of this and shifted blame to the mother.

People without kids and no clue screaming "What a horrible mother, boourn her"

Talking heads beaking away about the mothers failures to have her kid on a leash, while they bemoan their in home nanny service.

I bet the same people who are blaming the mother are the same people that bemoan all the "helicopter parenting these days".

[Minnie]

Originally Posted by HarryH93

Wasn't there a story very similar to this not too long ago? Somewhere in the US, I believe. Some idiots saw a baby bison and thought it would be smart to load it into their SUV because it "looked cold." The animal had to be euthanized because its herd did not cooperate when rangers tried reuniting them together. The calf kept approaching people and cars, and they thought it was way too dangerous for people and the calf.

People are really dumb.

That idiot was a Canadian from Quebec. I read a lot of "Canadian?! Well then, a Canadian should have known better - we know cold and we know animals survive in it quite fine!" I suppose there's a level of truth to that but I also know there are people that never leave the city and don't know one thing about wild animals and how they survive and they do stupid things like put a bison calf in their vehicle. Certainly not excusing this guy, and I think he should have been fined more than he was - but perhaps that's the only fine they could give him. He's got a court date so he may end up being fined a lot more. He's very lucky the mother bison didn't curb stomp his butt.

I read somewhere, maybe it was here, that this child had repeatedly said he was going IN the exhibit to see the gorillas - sounded pretty focused on his goal and obviously he figured out how to get in. I bet he never wants to try and get into another exhibit again - or go to the zoo ever again either.

It's just such a terribly unfortunate set of circumstances all around and such a shame it ended the way it did. He was an incredibly beautiful animal.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by calf

I bet the same people who are blaming the mother are the same people that bemoan all the "helicopter parenting these days".

It's interesting that parents and parenting come under so much more criticism than they used to. I think it probably has to do with the declining number of people who become parents, and the increasing age of when they do. Back when pretty much everyone had kids by the time they were 26, the attitude seemed to be live and let live. Something about having kids yourself tends to make people more tolerant. I know I became a lot less critical of parents once I became one myself. Given the demographics of Reddit (young childless males), it's not surprising to see such odious criticism of parents. Dismaying, but not surprising.

[metallicat]

http://www.alternet.org/environment/rip-harambe

A very good article from Frans De Waal.

[icecube]

If the kid is 4 years old he is old enough to know better. The parents are fricking morons and so is the kid. 3 years old and MAYBE I'd give the kid a pass.

[OMG!WTF!]

I actually blame the zoo. Short of a malfunction of some kind, there should be literally 0 ways a four year old can enter an enclosure. Once in forty years is still once.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by icecube

If the kid is 4 years old he is old enough to know better. The parents are fricking morons and so is the kid. 3 years old and MAYBE I'd give the kid a pass.

And if they aren't thinking about University by 5? OFF TO THE GULAG!

[icecube]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

And if they aren't thinking about University by 5? OFF TO THE GULAG!

My kid knew before she turned two to look both ways before crossing the street. These parents are ####ing obviously dumb and so is the kid.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by icecube

My kid knew before she turned two to look both ways before crossing the street. These parents are ####ing obviously dumb and so is the kid.

Based on actual child development, you may have taught your kid to turn their head twice, but you did not teach how not to get flattened by a car.

Cool it, super dad.

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

http://www.alternet.org/environment/rip-harambe

A very good article from Frans De Waal.

I think this was a fairly balanced article. In the end this "expert" (didn't verify what is meant by that title) seems to believe the zoo was in a tough spot. So really I think this person somewhat agrees that the zoo did the right thing.

My issue is back to this whole blaming the parents. That part is the part that is bugging me more than anything. Do we have a video of the mother being purposefully negligent? How do we know her situation? Maybe she had one kid run off and she chased him/her, and the 4 year old jumped the barrier. I haven't heard any witness come forward that this lady was off on her iPhone while her kid ran around amok. You would think that would have happened if even remotely true.

I sympathize as just last week my two boys were in the (fenced) backyard. I am what many would probably call a helicopter parent, but whatever I have a death fear of screwing up. Anyways, I tell my 5 year old, hey watch your 2 year old brother for a minute while I get something in the house. I go and come back, total 30 seconds to 1 minute. I come back and the 2 year old is gone. I look around and he isn't anywhere to be found. I do notice the gate on the blind spot of my house is open, which it never is. I immediately panic.

Anyways, after running up and down the street screaming my sons name, I get back home. I am in full on panic mode. He isn't anywhere. Then I remember he loves the garage, so I open the garage door and there he is sitting on the floor with a big smile and a "hi Daddy". He had gone from playing in his sandbox to walking over opening the door and closing it in under a minute. Like the very second I turned away.

Anyways, I won't judge this mother unless I know the situation. I am sure my story is similar to anyone who has had a kid. Even ones that watch their kids like hawks and get ridiculed for it.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by icecube

My kid knew before she turned two to look both ways before crossing the street. These parents are ####ing obviously dumb and so is the kid.

Yah, well your kid ain't as impressive as my nephew. Kid not only knew to look both ways before crossing the street, he was even taught the fist shaking and the middle finger to any cars that didn't let him cross. And this before he was even potty trained! Beat that super dad!

[polak]

Originally Posted by OMG!WTF!

I actually blame the zoo. Short of a malfunction of some kind, there should be literally 0 ways a four year old can enter an enclosure. Once in forty years is still once.

THIS.

NO ONE should be taking any blame here besides the zoo.

Kids run away from parents all of the time. Everyone is on their high horse here blaming the mother but how the #### did a kid manage to get in there in the first place!? ITS A ZOO. It caters almost exclusively to families with young kids. Every single enclosure should be designed in manner that makes it impossible for kids to get in. Obviously.

This is a massive failure on the part of the zoo and they're responsible for the death of the gorilla. Not the little kid, not the mom, not the gorilla. Just the zoo.

Everyone who is saying they should have tranquilized the gorilla is also an idiot. You do not risk the life of a human for an animal. Ever. Pretty much basic evolution to keep your own species safe.

Ridiculous reactions. Animals getting hurt make people go absolutely moronic. This is what we get for personifying animals. Dog owners who call themselves "parents", people willing to risk the life of a toddler for a gorilla, people chastising parents for being normal human beings and not literally using a leash on their kids.

The only names we should give animals is their species and a number. Polak's Dog #1, Cincinnati Gorilla #2, Etc... Even better, go all Pokemon and call them all the same thing. Make them battle each other and lets collect them in little digital balls.

Solve this stupid crap once and for all.

[icecube]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Based on actual child development, you may have taught your kid to turn their head twice, but you did not teach how not to get flattened by a car.

Cool it, super dad.

You don't have to be a super dad, you just have to have a frickin clue. These parents didn't and obviously neither does their son.

[icecube]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

Yah, well your kid ain't as impressive as my nephew. Kid not only knew to look both ways before crossing the street, he was even taught the fist shaking and the middle finger to any cars that didn't let him cross. And this before he was even potty trained! Beat that super dad!

Your nephew sounds like a bright kid. I bet he wouldn't go climbing into a gorilla cage like a dumbass.

[polak]

Mod edit- removed.

[doctajones428]

Its a shame I couldn't quote polak in time, that was hilarious