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

[AdrenalineFudge]

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.

Fairuza Examples of other situations doesn't render this okay. I've experienced that panic when you can't immediately locate your own child but a 4 year old climbing into a gorilla's enclosure is not a random situation. It doesn't 'just' happen with no-one noticing for the whole time.
The parents were negligent and I hope that little boy is fine and I hope SS puts a rocket up the parent's arses!

I don't think anyone would have thought for a moment that he would have been able to get in with the gorillas. I know I wouldn't have even thought it was possible

Yes but even so, wouldn't you keep an extra eye out in case he was going to run off somewhere to try and find a way in?

Adrenaline - if you can't immediately locate your 4 year old, then surely they could well have done something like crawl through some bushes and disappear out of sight?

ollieplimsoles you've pretty much summed up my opinion and the thread.

Highsteaks - I've been at the zoo holding my toddler up to see the lions and my 4yo has pushed through the crowd to the front. I've gone after him, maybe 30 seconds behind, but honestly never for a moment did I consider there was a risk that he's be able to get in to the lion enclosure.

If that was your (general your) child who had fallen in to the gorilla enclosure, you wouldn't think twice about the gorilla being shot so that your child would be safe.

Just sayin.

Fairuza So are you effectively saying the zoo was at fault? Or just a very strategic 4yo? Where does the blame lie in your opinion?

Adrenaline - I think it was a terrible accident, and in future the zoo should ensure that there is no way a child can crawl through a fence and into an enclosure with dangerous animals.

I can't believe more people are not blaming his parents tbh.

For those blaming the Zoo, its been up and running for years and years and nothing like this has happened before.

The zoo keepers probably feel gutted and devastated that they had to kill that gorilla, because a parent couldn't keep the child under control.

No matter how you look at its all their fault.

it doesn't matter that its NEVER happened before.

The point of risk assessment and security and safety is that they think about these things and prevent even the possibility of it.

The fact a small child, barely more than a toddler was able to get in there means their risk assessment was lacking.

MeAndMy3LovelyBoys I can't have children (whole other thread) but I often look after my nieces and nephews. I would watch them like a hawk when in charge of them. I'd let them 'be' but I'd follow them everywhere and not take my eyes off them for a single second.

If I'm looking after all of them together then I'll carry the toddlers whilst watching the older one.
My nephew is a climber but there's no way he'd get into the enclosure without me having noticed him doing so. It just doesn't happen like that.

they did the right thing by shooting
No they didn't. Another beautiful animal loses its life because of human stupidity.

Mum, I want to visit the gorilla enclosure. Ok sweetie, you crack on with your lovely climbing skills whilst I ignore you and carry on talking to your dad. Sorry, what??!! He's fallen in- sue the zoo and shoot that bloody gorilla!

Ffs.

I don't think anyone on here is a perfect parent, but the kid was 4!
Wth were the parents??
How do you not know where your kid is long enough for it to get into
An enclosure?
Yes, i lay blame there.

Some utter and complete twats on this thread.

Chardonnay, ok - how about a parent with two children is distracted by one (lets say, they fall over) and the other one spots a lovely cat on the other side of the road and impulsively bolts out after it. Hit by a lorry. Any sympathy for that awful, negligent parent?

Fairuza Bang on. This was an accident. While do we have to have someone to blame.

How on earth did they not do the right thing?

What should they of done oh wise one? Let the gorilla kill the child? Wait it out and see?

Honestly I don't see how anyone can say this decision was the wrong one. It was the only one IMHO.

I wouldn't have any sympathy for the parents of kidnapped children.
WTF is wrong with you?!?

I've lost a child in a busy shop
So what if your child was kidnapped or injured themselves while they were lost in a shop?

And I am so tired of the hypocrisy over one dead gorilla.
Yet it's okay to kill 1000s of others, but not if a child is in danger?!?

The most perfect parents are often the ones who have no flipping idea about parenting....

No they didn't. Another beautiful animal loses its life because of human stupidity.
Please enlighten us PunkrockerGirl, what should they have done instead?

""Parents are idiots, mother sounds like an imbecile on the video.""

The Keepers have said that the screaming of the crowds gathering, was agitating the Gorilla and the boy had to remain as calm as possible, or he may be killed.

So we can't judge "how the Mother sounded".

The child was never out of the Parents sight, until he was emerging through the bushes on to the edge of the Moat, then he fell.

You wouldn't expect a gap to be there.