An informed opinion about Harambe the Gorilla, killed at Cinci zoo last week.

[Triana]

by Amanda O'Donoughue on Facebook

I am going to try to clear up a few things that have been weighing on me about Harambe and the Cinci Zoo since I read the news this afternoon.

I have worked with Gorillas as a zookeeper while in my twenties (before children) and they are my favorite animal (out of dozens) that I have ever worked closely with. I am gonna go ahead and list a few facts, thoughts and opinions for those of you that aren't familiar with the species itself, or how a zoo operates in emergency situations.

Now Gorillas are considered 'gentle giants' at least when compared with their more aggressive cousins the chimpanzee, but a 400+ pound male in his prime is as strong as roughly 10 adult humans. What can you bench press? OK, now multiply that number by ten. An adult male silverback gorilla has one job, to protect his group. He does this by bluffing or intimidating anything that he feels threatened by.

Gorillas are considered a Class 1 mammal, the most dangerous class of mammals in the animal kingdom, again, merely due to their size and strength. They are grouped in with other apes, tigers, lions, bears, etc.

While working in an AZA accredited zoo with Apes, keepers DO NOT work in contact with them. Meaning they do NOT go in with these animals. There is always a welded mesh barrier between the animal and the humans.

In more recent decades, zoos have begun to redesign enclosures, removing all obvious caging and attempting to create a seamless view of the animals for the visitor to enjoy watching animals in a more natural looking habitat. *this is great until little children begin falling into exhibits* which of course can happen to anyone, especially in a crowded zoo-like setting.

I have watched this video over again, and with the silverback's posturing, and tight lips, it's pretty much the stuff of any keeper's nightmares, and I have had MANY while working with them. This job is not for the complacent. Gorillas are kind, curious, and sometimes silly, but they are also very large, very strong animals. I always brought my OCD to work with me. checking and rechecking locks to make sure my animals and I remained separated before entering to clean.

I keep hearing that the Gorilla was trying to protect the boy. I do not find this to be true. Harambe reaches for the boys hands and arms, but only to position the child better for his own displaying purposes.

Males do very elaborate displays when highly agitated, slamming and dragging things about. Typically they would drag large branches, barrels and heavy weighted balls around to make as much noise as possible. Not in an effort to hurt anyone or anything (usually) but just to intimidate. It was clear to me that he was reacting to the screams coming from the gathering crowd.

Harambe was most likely not going to separate himself from that child without seriously hurting him first (again due to mere size and strength, not malicious intent) Why didn't they use treats? well, they attempted to call them off exhibit (which animals hate), the females in the group came in, but Harambe did not. What better treat for a captive animal than a real live kid!

They didn't use Tranquilizers for a few reasons, A. Harambe would've taken too long to become immobilized, and could have really injured the child in the process as the drugs used may not work quickly enough depending on the stress of the situation and the dose B. Harambe would've have drowned in the moat if immobilized in the water, and possibly fallen on the boy trapping him and drowning him as well.

Many zoos have the protocol to call on their expertly trained dart team in the event of an animal escape or in the event that a human is trapped with a dangerous animal. They will evaluate the scene as quickly and as safely as possible, and will make the most informed decision as how they will handle the animal.
I can't point fingers at anyone in this situation, but we need to really evaluate the safety of the animal enclosures from the visitor side. Not impeding that view is a tough one, but there should be no way that someone can find themselves inside of an animal's exhibit.

I know one thing for sure, those keepers lost a beautiful, and I mean gorgeous silverback and friend. I feel their loss with them this week. As educators and conservators of endangered species, all we can do is shine a light on the beauty and majesty of these animals in hopes to spark a love and a need to keep them from vanishing from our planet. Child killers, they are not. It's unfortunate for the conservation of the species, and the loss of revenue a beautiful zoo such as Cinci will lose. tragedy all around.


*me working (very carefully) with a 400+ pound silverback circa 2009

LINK: https://www.facebook.com/amanda.odonoughue/posts/1203379586363094

[MH1]

1. My understanding is that the zoo met all guidelines and regulations for the enclosure.

It does seem like the regulations need to be tightened up. I would expect that people in the zoo and wildlife conservation worlds are looking at that - no one is happy about what happened here.

But also: while I don't support the public shaming of the parents or anyone in this situation, I do think that someone in a guardian role of a young child in a place like a zoo, should be charged with a misdemeanor and fined if the child gets into an animal enclosure. Unless there are extenuating circumstances (such as crowd confusion resulting from a prior emergency), or a failure of the enclosure or the zoo staff (like leaving a gate open - I doubt that happens often). It shouldn't be a matter of debate. You have a child under your supervision and he gets into a place that takes some doing to get into, and some negligence on your part? It shouldn't be even a question that the parent gets charged with something. But it's not a felony - it's a mistake, of negligence not intent. In this case it's a terrible, tragic mistake that caused the death of a beautiful animal (and an endangered species that was in a supposedly protected location, which makes it a thousand times worse than other, more general animal deaths). But let's not forget that it was caused by a mistake - vs. the many intentional deaths that happen all too frequently. I think people should focus their anger and energies on the people who kill endangered and threatened wild animals by intent (such as poachers and trophy hunters).

But anyway, thanks for posting this point of view.

[tblue37]

2. Very good post. nt

[shireen]

5. well said

Many years ago, a friend was watching a kid who was around the same age as the child that fell in the enclosure. She was talking to someone, and the kid, who was standing nearby, suddenly started running along a sidewalk towards an intersection. My friend yelled at the kid to stop, and started running after him. But he had enough of a head start that she could not get to him before he reached the road. I watched in utter terror as he approached the intersection. By some "miracle," her older son happened to be walking by and caught the kid just in time.

That memory has been seared in my brain. It's now become a reflex for me to be hyper-aware of little kids, and it amazes me how many parents are simply not as attentive as they should be. On a couple of occasions, I've caught a little kid that decided to go running off, and there have been other times that I started going after them to help but someone else got to them first. When I drive in residential areas and parking lots, as soon as I see kids near the road, I hit the brakes and make sure the adults have control of the kids before moving forward slowly.

As a society, we all bear some level of responsibility for the safety of children. So, I find it hard to understand why other adults did not notice that the kid was about to get in trouble.

RIP, beautiful silverback.

[bigbrother05]

11. Many years ago with my now wife driving, we were passing a snack bar on a military post.

A young couple with one or two kids were standing talking on the sidewalk, which was about 6-8 ft wide next to the street. She had slowed the car to a crawl because of the kids and proximity. As we pulled along side of the family, the youngest turned and ran toward the street, bouncing off the side of the car. Not really hurt, but scared and shaken up, the little boy (3/4 yo) started crying. We stopped to be sure he was okay, but got a cussing from the parents because we hadn't avoided the kid. Guess it was her fault that we hadn't stopped and waited while they decided when/if they were going to cross the street.

She was prepared to stop at any movement while approaching the family with kids, just didn't know the kid would feel compelled to smack into the back door. You just never know what a kid will do, you just have to do your best to anticipate and avoid.

[maxsolomon]

3. Backs up my contention that the main problem was the humans screaming incessantly.

They stressed the Gorilla out, made him react defensively. Absent that, who knows what would have happened? Maybe he'd have treated the kid like he would a rambunctious toddler Gorilla - benign indifference.

I know why they chose to execute the Gorilla; that doesn't mean I have to like it.

I don't have to like the 4 year old, either.

[colorado_ufo]

7. Four years.

Four years on earth. Four years of life. How much wisdom can a human being absorb in four years?

Each of us, at four years old, did and thought ridiculous things, because we did not have the life experience or judgment necessary make wise decisions. Our parents and others - hopefully - forgave us our mistakes.

This situation is analogous to a four year old picking up a loaded gun and accidentally shooting someone.

I hope your thoughts might become a bit more forgiving and gentle toward this child and possibly others. This world is a hard place and life is difficult. This child has a lot of life ahead to cope with, and this story will follow him forever. If we have not had such a burden to carry, at such a young age, for the rest of our lives, we can be grateful.

[maxsolomon]

9. I've been around a lot of kids, thanks.

Some are angels. Some are demonstrably not. I'm not obligated to like them; I'm obligated to tolerate them.

Anecdote: My wife got punched in the face, hard, by a 4 year old she'd just met, who laughed when reproached for it. 10 years later, the kid is still a jerk.

[colorado_ufo]

12. Kids need discipline, that's for sure!

[YOHABLO]

4. There is no room for speculation on the gorilla's behavior in this situation

the life of the child should come first. It was horribly unfortunate but they did the right thing.

[maxsolomon]

10. Why is that again?

Because the life of a human is always more important than that of an animal? Always, no exception?

A friend of mine put this thought experiment up on FB: Do you support the shooting of poachers of endangered species?

A lot of people would say yes - a lot of people did say yes. But is that poacher's life less valuable than this kid's? The child has innocence and vast potential, but the poacher may have an entire family depending on his crimes for their survival. Why should protecting an animal be judged more important than his life?

[Stonepounder]

6. Excellent post. Fair and balanced. Thanks. n/t

[Fast Walker 52]

8. thanks-- just a tragic situation all the way around