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AIBU?

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Original poster

An endangered gorilla has been shot dead after a 4-yo fell into its zoo enclosure

675 replies

AdrenalineFudge · 29/05/2016 20:32

Why the fuck has this happened... again - to another endangered species?

A little boy fell into an enclosure and the zoo staff decided the best course of action was to shoot the gorilla dead.

I'm not even sure who I'm most angry at. This should not have happened in the first place.

OP posts:
NeedACleverNN · 30/05/2016 19:34

Her response 'accidents happen' is appalling. No apology, no nothing.
It wasn't a trip-and-fall accident

I do agree there. She probably has a lawyer telling her not to mention apologies as it would indicate she is accepting it was her fault and therefore would harm her case.

Doesn't stop her saying that it was sad that the gorilla had to lose his life but she was glad her son was ok

Andrewofgg · 30/05/2016 19:39

AppleSetsSail

I don't think a human life is worth more than one of our majestic endangered species such as a gorilla or an elephant. I actually think it's worth far less. That said, if it were my child I would have wanted them to do exactly what they did.

Holy shit. Perhaps you would care to favour us with a list of those animals you think should not be shot if this happens again - assuming of course that it is not your child.

Nataleejah · 30/05/2016 19:43

All zoos i've visited were pretty much accident-proof. However, not idiot-proof. If one decided to swim with crocks of kiss a stellar sea lion, a fence or a bridge wouldn't have stopped them.

ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe · 30/05/2016 19:43

Did I ever say teachers should be checking the enclosures for their safety?

No.
What u said is that they should be watching their charges.
We are going in circles.
This is what I want to say. People are likely to blame the zoo because we are parents and because we have all made mistakes so we identify with the mother. We don't blame her for not watching her child because that we/her have made bad parenting decisions.
The zoo is an anonymous body, it's not us, blaming them absolves us

I hate this infantilising tendency t expect everybody to be made as safe as possible to the lowest possible denominator so heaven forbid someone would actually have to think.
And before someone asks, yes I have children and yes, I did lose one once, but you know what, if anything had happened to them it would have been my fault.

Grow up, take tesponsibility for what you do.
I'm
Leaving this thread now. I have a glass of wine waiting.

Flashbangandgone · 30/05/2016 19:46

But it wouldn't matter if the child was supervised

If the parent hadn't lost the child then yes it wouldn't have happened... So yes the parent bears some blame... Perhaps 10% to the zoo's 90%

ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe · 30/05/2016 19:46

What I said
Sorry.

PurpleDaisies · 30/05/2016 19:47

I hate this infantilising tendency t expect everybody to be made as safe as possible to the lowest possible denominator so heaven forbid someone would actually have to think.
Oh come off if. No one goes to the zoo expecting it is possible to sneak into the animal enclosures. That's not infantilising people-it's expecting the zoo to provide a safe environment.

PurpleDaisies · 30/05/2016 19:47

I'm not a mum by the way do no empathising here.

Nataleejah · 30/05/2016 19:47

The analogy of train -- supervising teachers would be totally to blame if a child slipped away to play on the tracks

Shadowracer · 30/05/2016 19:53

The analogy of train -- supervising teachers would be totally to blame if a child slipped away to play on the tracks and very likely the track/ rail operating company too, as an investigation would want to look at safety mechanism in place to prevent a child getting on to the track

Shannyfanny · 30/05/2016 20:02

The gorilla didn't drag the child under water, he was moving him. Gorillas are not crocodiles. If the gorilla wanted to kill him he could of very easily rather than play with him.
The child wanted to play with the gorilla he got what he wanted, however the poor gorilla had to suffer.

PurpleDaisies · 30/05/2016 20:04

If the gorilla wanted to kill him he could have very easily rather than play with him.

And how long would that have taken once he decided to kill the child? It's awful that the gorilla had to be shot before he caused any harm to the child.

Bearbehind · 30/05/2016 20:13

Well, the mother has set her stall out, it was all down to God that her son survived Hmm

ollieplimsoles · 30/05/2016 20:17

Bearbehind

Yes, but hang on a min!

God watched over him while he was down there, but just not while he was falling in D:

Stupid woman...

Shannyfanny · 30/05/2016 20:19

Gorillas aren't known to play with their food, if they feel threatened they will react in an instant.
They did not want to go into the cage because the gorilla would of felt threatened and reacted.
They should of tranquillised him straight away.

Shannyfanny · 30/05/2016 20:20

He didn't fall in he climbed in. He was heard saying how he wanted to play with the gorilla.

PurpleDaisies · 30/05/2016 20:21

Small boys aren't known for being predictable. I don't think there's any way they could have taken a chance that the boy would provoke the gorilla.

Wordsaremything · 30/05/2016 20:22

Has it been disclosed what the situation was when the gorilla was shot? How did they ensure the child's safety if tranquillising was such a dangerous option?

Wordsaremything · 30/05/2016 20:23

Yes and all the god stuff was utterly stupid I agree.

Bearbehind · 30/05/2016 20:23

The facts seem to be that the boy said he wanted to get in the pen and the mother took her eyes off him for long enough to allow it to happen.

It is being reported that the parents may be charged over this- that's no bad thing IMO.

nuttymango · 30/05/2016 20:26

God probably expected that the mother was watching him so he wouldn't climb in. Big mistake, neither of the parents were watching.

As an aside, was the father there? All the coverage and comments I have seen seem to be blaming the mother for not watching her child but the father has equal responsibility surely?

Andrewofgg · 30/05/2016 20:27

Shannyfanny Did you not read that tranquilliser darts do not take instant effect? Using one might have made the animal angry which could have led to the child's death. It was a sad but inevitable professional decision to shoot.

Crazypetlady · 30/05/2016 20:37

I hope they are charged no mention of poor harambe by the witch of a mother

Nataleejah · 30/05/2016 20:39

If tranquilizer darts don't work instantly, they should have done it sooner, not waited for the kill shot.

Decision to shoot reminds of all these tragic cases where cops shoot unarmed innocent people (even children) just because they felt "threatened".

As for train tracks, any railway station you can jump onto tracks straight away if you want to.

Andrewofgg · 30/05/2016 20:45

The dart would have made the gorilla angry, ffs. They had no alternative. You can't imagine zoo professionals wanted to kill him!