Gorilla story

[pkrahmer]

As much I didn't want the gorilla killed I think the zoo made the right choice.There was no sense of protection expressed by the gorilla He was holding the child tight and pulling him around quickly.
Yes parents do have to keep an eye on their kids  but young kids move fast and fit into places we never expect.
I don't think that  child will be testing his limits any time soon

[snuggleycutejc]

 :heart:decided on saving the baby only way to think about it, nobody knew how to talk to the gorilla nor baby through it to safety.

[patapon555]

I think the parents need a form of disciplining. They should be watching their childrent at all times.

[vg7405]

It is difficult to choose sides in this situation. Especially since it was an endangered species, the gorilla (Harambe) did not deserve to die because of the human neglect of one. I understand that the zoo had no recourse but to destroy it in order to ensure the safety of the child, but I believe the parent has to be held responsible in this situation.

The reason they elected to destroy him is because tranquilizing him would have led to his agitation.

[michele2042]

I don't see the need to place blame with anyone.  I agree with kjstrukel that it is just a sad situation for everyone.   Since the keepers did try the call for the animals to return to the inside and all gorillas obeyed except the one who had the child it seemed they had no alternative.   It's just a sad situation.  I feel for the keepers who handled this magnificant animal and whoever it was that had to put him down.   

[stretch1967]

Total media circus. They tranquilized the other 3 gorillas but shot and killed this one. The parents should have kept a better eye on that child. Total carelessness.

[6265AT99]

Under the circumstances, I think the gorilla having been killed is probably the way it had to go down.  I blame both the parents and the park.  The parents should have kept a better eye on their child and the park should have had some sort of fencing that was impenetrable to those looking at the animals as well as to the animals in the closure.  But again, it really is up to a PARENT to WATCH THEIR CHILDREN!!!!

[hawkeye3210]

No charges for the parents. Nice to finally hear some voice of reason from the prosecutor "If anyone doesn't believe a 3-year-old can scamper off very quickly – they've never had kids. They can, and they do."

[ancmetro]

   Parents are always responsible for what their kids do. No safety fences is going to prevent a kid from jumping into dangerous places. Maybe this kid should have been in a safety harness or leash or a stroller/wheelchair.

[Tresbn00]

I think that it killing the gorilla was uncalled for and a tragedy. The parents of the child should be forced to pay all expenses related to the gorilla and his/her replacement. I believe the prosecutor should foot some of the bill as well for saying that any three year old can scamper off. An attentive, caring parent, would scamper after their child. I let my children explore and come close to danger but always kept a tight eye on them and was blessed to be within arms reach to keep them out of harm's way. Someone asked me what I would have done. My child would not have been in that situation because I am attentive. If, big if, my child were in the hands of the gorilla my first instinct would have been to have leapt into the water and tried to create a diversion-even if it meant physical harm to myself.

[dwggs]

It was sad indeed that the gorilla had to be killed but first and foremost should be the safety of the child no matter how he ended up in that situation.

I have read  some comments by animal rights activists that made it sound like the gorilla should have been spared at the expense of the child even if it meant the child got killed ... It sickened me that they felt the animal's life was more important that the life of the child.

[lywb2168]

It was sad that the gorilla had to be killed, I am on the middle of both arguments, I agree that the mother should have been more vigilant but I know how kids can actually escape your clutches, and I too saw the video and believe that even though the gorilla was trying to  "Protect" the child he had no control over his strength and could have hurt the child even without wanting too.  But wild animals are unpredictable and the zoo did the best they could by killing him, was the right decision, who knows, but it was the safest one for that child

[crisstar]

From all accounts, the gorilla was not threatening the child, however, it became agitated with all the yelling and noise from the people yelling.

It seems like one of zoo employees should have shushed people up so the gorilla wouldn't become agitated and put the child in even more danger.

This isn't the first child that has jumped/fell into an animal enclosure. It may the first where an animal was shot to death as a precaution after a child has gotten into an animal enclosure.

I think there's plenty of blame to go around and a lot of errors made on the part of the zoo, the zoo employees, and the parents of the child.