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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:
Xmasbaby11 · 29/05/2016 21:20

It was the right decision. A child's life is more valuable than a gorilla's.

The zoo should have better enclosures. That's inexcusable that someone can actually get into such a dangerous area.

Highsteaks · 29/05/2016 21:22

I try not to be a judgemental parent, but I have a 4 year old and she knows full well not to climb on anything near an animal enclosure because we have explained that the animals can be dangerous. I don't think that is too difficult for a 4 year old to understand? We also make sure that we hold hands and that we don't let them run off near the enclosures? Obviously the zoo is at fault as well for not ensuring the enclosure was secure.

Poor gorilla Sad

SoThatHappened · 29/05/2016 21:23

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steff13 · 29/05/2016 21:23

This is my local zoo. The child didn't fall in. He climbed over a rock barrier, through bushes, under a metal railing, and over a chain-link fence to fall 12 feet down into a moat around the gorilla enclosure. The enclosure has been there for 38 years, and nothing like this has ever happened, despite hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

WellErrr · 29/05/2016 21:23

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

Would you rather be writing 'the zoo staff decided the best course of action was to let the 4 year old child die'?

FFS.

NeedACleverNN · 29/05/2016 21:23

I think everyone on here at least all agree the zoo were at fault

WellErrr · 29/05/2016 21:24

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MaddyHatter · 29/05/2016 21:25

The amount of sanctimony on facebook about the parent is disgusting.

Of COURSE we should keep an eye on the kids, but it only takes a second.

At the end of the day, a 4yo should not have been able to crawl throug ha fence to access the enclosure.

The Zoo is at fault for not having adequate fencing to protect the public.

The child and the Gorilla are both victims, one is dead, the other has serious injuries.

I'm not going to vilify the mother for something that could happen to anyone, losing track of a child for a split second.

NeedACleverNN · 29/05/2016 21:25

This is my local zoo. The child didn't fall in. He climbed over a rock barrier, through bushes, under a metal railing, and over a chain-link fence to fall 12 feet down into a moat around the gorilla enclosure. The enclosure has been there for 38 years, and nothing like this has ever happened, despite hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

But he did. The zoo were getting complacent with their barriers. They should have updated long before now

steff13 · 29/05/2016 21:25

The Cincinnati Zoo has one of the most successful endangered wildlife breeding programs in world. Their enclosures are safe. Their animals are well cared for. They are not at fault here.

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 29/05/2016 21:26

If a 4yo could scale the fences they can't have been brilliant fences.

shggg245 · 29/05/2016 21:27

It's easy to blame, hindsight and all that but doesn't change the awful decision that imo had to be made. I'm sure the zoo and the parents will feel awful about what happened.

The child should not have been able to get in the compound, but it happened and the zoo did what they had to do. It was a no brainer, incredibly sad though.

nightandthelight · 29/05/2016 21:27

Clearly the enclosure was not safe steff.

NeedACleverNN · 29/05/2016 21:27

They could have the best breeding program in the world with animals in the best condition, that doesn't excuse the fact that their fences were not up to the job

passmethewineplease · 29/05/2016 21:28

Get a grip sothat

You'd rather the four year old boy die?

Or are you just being a dick "devils advocate"

The zoo did the right thing given the circumstances.

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 29/05/2016 21:28

Wasn't there a case in a shop (maybe Primark) where a small kid squeezed through the gap between two escalators at the top and plummeted to the floor.

Would people say that it was the mothers fault? Because I seem to remember at the time there was an uproar that the gap was big enough for a kid to get through.

steff13 · 29/05/2016 21:30

Unless you've been there, you can't appreciate how safe the enclosures are. Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently motivated fool.

AppleSetsSail · 29/05/2016 21:31

Weird that the mother didn't try to get down there herself.

Fairuza · 29/05/2016 21:33

Seriously Apple, you'd endanger your child further by jumping in and agitating a fucking gorilla? That is holding your tiny 4 year old?

Furiosa · 29/05/2016 21:33

SoThatHappened do your value you own life?

MrsJayy · 29/05/2016 21:33

What are you even saying sowhathappened that a human life is disposable ?

Fluffycloudland77 · 29/05/2016 21:33

I'm really cross they shot him too.

GirlOutNumbered · 29/05/2016 21:34

All I know is that if this was my son, I would know what I would want the outcome to be.
It's incredibly tragic, but seriously what do people expect to have happened.

No-one wants the story, boy dies whilst Zoo decides what on earth to do.

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 29/05/2016 21:34

I think historically zoo enclosures were built to stop animals getting out rather than people getting in.

From what Steph says about there been a rock barrier, bushes and then a fence you can see one major design flaw straight away and it's the bushes!

Parents lose sight of kid in a split second and he's through the rock barrier, they're scanning for him but by now he's hidden in bushes. They can't see him so run further along path looking for him, by then he's over the fence and in the moat.

Without the bushes and a clearer line of sight the more chance someone, not even his parents, would have seen him and grabbed him.

And that's without thinking the barrier and fence can't have been very high.

At my local zoo there are polar bears and I seriously think even the most determined adult would struggle getting in. There's a lowish fence near the path with a big gap between that and the main, high fence and that fence must be 20ft high. A member of staff sits watching the whole time to ensure nobody goes over the first fence.

GarlicSteak · 29/05/2016 21:34

Thanks for the info, steff.

I think it's normal and natural to want to blame someone - keepers, mother, bystanders, fence-builders, anyone! But kids do outrageous things sometimes. You can't shackle them to each other just in case.

Gorillas aren't stupid, and this one was trying to make a point or he would've gone back when the keepers called.

It was a freak event. Nobody was at fault - except the child, and he can't be blamed for not understanding. There was no fault.

It's very sad.