Was shooting a rare gorilla the only option for Cincinnati Zoo?

NationalTitles18 · May 30, 2016

So a zoo has a 400 lb creature in an enclosure which is easily accessible (obviously) for a 4yo boy to get in there and we are going to blame the parents?! Now I don't know these parents from Adam's house cat so I can't make any judgments about them. I didn't see what happened so I can't just assume (you know what you do when you assume) they were negligent. However, I do know a large and dangerous wild animal was kept in captivity for people's entertainment (place whatever value judgment on that you like - it's just a fact) and the animal's enclosure could be breached by a 4 yo boy, who is not the only person to have suffered a similar fate (it's happened with/to adults as well). I know in a situation like that you have to watch your kid like a hawk. Mine are grown and nearly grown and I still watch them like a hawk. I don't know what, if anything, the parents did wrong. I do know the zoo made it easy enough for the child to get in and the blame should, IMHO, should go primarily on those who designed and allowed to remain in place such an unsafe system.

92tide · May 30, 2016

JBama_in_PCOLA said:
I would think on here at least it goes without saying. If I need to say it, I would have been in and out of there quicker than you can say ambesol!

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more than likely, you would have died a gruesome death

AlistarWills · May 31, 2016

Heard a rep from the Cincinnati Zoo this morning saying that he's seen the gorilla they shot, crush a coconut one-handed. Folks, that's strong! With an animal that strong, you can't risk him not hurting the child unintentionally.

Bamaro · May 31, 2016

AlistarWills said:
Heard a rep from the Cincinnati Zoo this morning saying that he's seen the gorilla they shot, crush a coconut one-handed. Folks, that's strong! With an animal that strong, you can't risk him not hurting the child unintentionally.

First, I'm guessing that is a bit of an exaggeration
Second, what do you expect at this point. They are trying to justify their actions.

Bama Reb · May 31, 2016

Before you rush to judgement, just consider what you would expect (demand) be done if it were your child in there with a gorilla.

92tide · May 31, 2016

Bamaro said:
First, I'm guessing that is a bit of an exaggeration
Second, what do you expect at this point. They are trying to justify their actions.

why would you think that would be an exaggeration? gorillas are insanely strong. jmho, but they don't need any justification for what they did

bama_wayne1 · May 31, 2016

Simple: Human over Animal Every time all the time.

Bamaro · May 31, 2016

92tide said:
why would you think that would be an exaggeration? gorillas are insanely strong. jmho, but they don't need any justification for what they did

I'm just wondering if a gorilla can really just simply crush a coconut with one hand.:conf2:

crimsonaudio · May 31, 2016

I've read estimates (based on strength tests of chimpanzees) that an adult male silverback is roughly 20x as strong as an adult human. Crushing a coconut is not beyond the realm of belief for these beasts.

Heck, here's a video out there of a gorilla literally ripping a banana tree apart - that requires incredible grip strength...

Unless there was a non-lethal, instant method to neutralize the gorilla, shooting him was the right call. It sucks, they're incredible animals, but the boy had to be protected.

Bamabuzzard · May 31, 2016

Bamaro said:
I'm just wondering if a gorilla can really just simply crush a coconut with one hand.:conf2:

Let's say it was really two hands rather than one. Does it really matter at that point? It wouldn't require that type of strength to completely crush a 4 year old's head into a pancake. Let's not get hung up on very minor details. But make no mistake about it. A Silver Back Gorilla is crazy, crazy strong.

AlistarWills · May 31, 2016

I think there was a pre-planned course of action with this. If X happens with and animal labelled as "dangerous" then we do Y. X happened and it required the gorilla to be put down. Human safety first. No need to have to try and think this through with adrenaline running.

Bodhisattva · May 31, 2016

It's a shame this kid was never told "no" or that doing something after being told "no" had very unpleasant consequences.

92tide · May 31, 2016

Bodhisattva said:
It's a shame this kid was never told "no" or that doing something after being told "no" had very unpleasant consequences.

i know what you are saying, but if that kid is anything like my 4 year old at times, they don't care

G-VilleTider · May 31, 2016

Bodhisattva said:
It's a shame this kid was never told "no" or that doing something after being told "no" had very unpleasant consequences.

That is a good, very important lesson no question about it, but

92tide said:
i know what you are saying, but if that kid is anything like my 4 year old at times, they don't care

show me a 4 year old who minds every single time, and I'll show you a unicorn

bamanut_aj · May 31, 2016

G-VilleTider said:
show me a 4 year old who minds every single time, and I'll show you a unicorn

Definitely won't be showing me a gorilla....

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Bazza · May 31, 2016

I wonder why Harambe didn't crush the kid like a coconut?

Do you think he was protecting the kid from all those 2 legged monkeys screaming from the balcony?

Is that why he was holding the kid between his legs? For protection?

Bamaro · May 31, 2016

Bazza said:
I wonder why Harambe didn't crush the kid like a coconut?

Do you think he was protecting the kid from all those 2 legged monkeys screaming from the balcony?

Is that why he was holding the kid between his legs? For protection?

Probably but we will never know.

TIDE-HSV · May 31, 2016

Bazza said:
I wonder why Harambe didn't crush the kid like a coconut?

Do you think he was protecting the kid from all those 2 legged monkeys screaming from the balcony?

Is that why he was holding the kid between his legs? For protection?

From looking at the clips, confusion...

DzynKingRTR · May 31, 2016

KentuckianaBFan said:
I agree 100%...IN ADDITION, maybe, just maybe, the "open habitat" designers need to go back to the drawing board...(and maybe kid-test it with a bunch of four year-olds, and no animals).

don't blame designers, they are artists.

G-VilleTider · May 31, 2016

DzynKingRTR said:
don't blame designers, they are artists.

It is always the architect's fault. Never the engineer's or contractor's.

Was shooting a rare gorilla the only option for Cincinnati Zoo?

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