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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
saoirse31 · 29/05/2016 22:43

Oh ffs, punk rocker girl, you'd rather the child died? Really?

ollieplimsoles · 29/05/2016 22:44

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

Nope. It means the parent's risk assessment was lacking.

I have three younger siblings and have taken them all to a well- known open enclosure zoo many times. Yes I have to keep an eye on them but they know the animals are potentiality dangerous and have to be respected and viewed from a safe distance, regardless of the railings around them.

They are 8, 6 and 4 years.

thebestfurchinchilla · 29/05/2016 22:44

Neglect is the ongoing failure to meet a child's basic needs and is the most common form of child abuse. A child may be left hungry or dirty, without adequate clothing, shelter, supervision, medical or health care. A child may be put in danger or not protected from physical or emotional harm.
NSPCC

ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe · 29/05/2016 22:45

If the lorry was going at speed and it took seconds, then yes, it was an accident and yes, I would have sympathy with the parents.

In the case of the child in the gorilla enclosure though, it didn't happen in a second, and it wasn't sudden, the child had warned the parents he wanted to go see the gorillas.

The parents were careless, that's all.
You are clearly determined not to see that, I shall leave you to it.

Fairuza · 29/05/2016 22:45

thebest - so all the millions of parents who have momentarily been distracted and lost sight of their children are neglecting them? Really?

ollieplimsoles · 29/05/2016 22:47

In the case of the child in the gorilla enclosure though, it didn't happen in a second, and it wasn't sudden, the child had warned the parents he wanted to go see the gorillas.

Bingo.

thebestfurchinchilla · 29/05/2016 22:47

Those that allow their child to climb into a wild animal enclosure, yes. This was a dangerous place, crowds and wild animals. My child's hand would be tightly in mine or the child would be in my arms. If she had several kids and she couldn't do that then she shouldn't have gone alone.

ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe · 29/05/2016 22:48

Yet it's okay to kill 1000s of others, but not if a child is in danger?!?

How is it ok to kill 1000s of others? What are you on about?

Fairuza · 29/05/2016 22:48

Chardonnay - it only takes seconds to lose sight of your child, in this case it seems to be reported that he went into bushes and under a fence behind the bushes, surely that would take only seconds for him to be out of sight?
It's not like he scaled a 12ft fence right in front of them.

JerryFerry · 29/05/2016 22:49

I'm so over the blame game. Sometimes, despite everyone doing their best, things go wrong. I'm quite sure that the liitle boy, his family, the zoo keepers and the onlookers feel traumatised. I will bet my bottom dollar that the mother being hung out to dry, is much like most other mums who does her best for her children.

Tbh I feel much more sickened by the hatred levelled at her and the zoo keepers than at any other part of the story. God forbid any of us should ever slip up for a moment.

thebestfurchinchilla · 29/05/2016 22:49

fairuza Are you the parent???

Fairuza · 29/05/2016 22:51

I am a normal parent who has briefly lost sight of my children on occasion thebest.

ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe · 29/05/2016 22:52

Under bushes and over fence behind the bushes, at 4?

No, it would most definitely not only take seconds.

Look, I'm off to bed, you can think of more impossible scenarios.

Dolly80 · 29/05/2016 22:52

Jerry ferry I agree that the blame game gets us nowhere. At the time of the incident the zoos options seemed to boil down to killing the gorilla or the child potentially dying. What choice was there really ?

lalalalyra · 29/05/2016 22:52

I love the fact people are judging how the mother sounded - like any of us have a single clue how we'd actually react in her shoes.

It shouldn't have happened. The zoo need to seriously review their safety - if you let the public into your place you have to make sure things like that can't happen. A determined adult on a suicide bid is one thing, but a small child should never be able to wander/fall into an enclosure on their own. Parents shouldn't lose their children, but sometimes they do. Wandering out into the road, encountering a dodgy stranger and getting their head stuck in the bin (that may be just mine) are all things to worry about in that split second when they are missing - actually getting into an animal enclosure isn't.

The only thing that surprised me about the shooting of the gorilla is that it took ten minutes. That's quite a long time for a small child to be in the hands of a silverback. Those keepers did their best. If they'd have used a tranquilliser dart the child could have been killed by a very pissed off gorilla.

Fairuza · 29/05/2016 22:52

Disappearing behind bushes in seconds? Er, yes - have you ever met a 4 year old?

RufusTheReindeer · 29/05/2016 22:54

Child shouldnt have been able to get into the enclosure

It is very nice to see a thread full of obviously perfect parents who have never lost a child or made an error of judgement or taken their eyes off their child...must make walking a challange for you but there you go

So well done

I should proably leave as i have lost a child in a zoo, at a beach and in a shopping centre...the company here is much too exhalted

I am sorry that the gorilla was killed but i would rather that than the child be killed

lalalalyra · 29/05/2016 22:54

And if the kid wandered while at the zoo where would you look? The toilets, cafe, gift shop, the lions, the gorilla viewing - would anyone actually think "oh I better check there's no easy way into the gorilla enclosure"? I wouldn't.

dustarr73 · 29/05/2016 22:55

Hes 4 saying he wanted to get in with the gorillas is like saying he wanted to be an astronaut.If he was visiting Kennedy Space Centre.

Fairuza · 29/05/2016 22:55

To be fair Rufus it mostly seems to be perfect non-parents Grin

thebestfurchinchilla · 29/05/2016 22:55
  1. The parents should have had a hold of a hand at least at all times.
  2. The fence should have been impenetrable.
  3. They had no choice than to shoot the gorilla as no other stun gun or tranquilliser works quickly enough.
WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 29/05/2016 22:56

I'm not saying the parents are idiots at all but a big public attraction especially one with dangerous animals has to risk assess in the basis that idiots will attend their attraction. There is no way this should have been able to happen.

I just hope the family aren't subjected to animal rights activists abuse. I see they're getting named on some of the YouTube comments.

GirlOutNumbered · 29/05/2016 22:57

How do you hold on to their hand all the time. I have three boys.
That's impossible!!!

thebestfurchinchilla · 29/05/2016 22:58

I have 2 children and regularly take 4 to 7 year olds out on school trips and have done for the last 10 years. If a child says they want to get in with a wild animal, a swift explanation of how dangerous the animal is would normally be enough to put an end to their desire.

Appleand · 29/05/2016 22:59

Actually, this thread is once again proof of how the human mind seeks to find something to blame in the behaviour/attitude/morals/general nature of the people directly affected by the incident (whichever incident is being discussed). That way they can mentally breath a sigh of relief in the false sense of security that the same thing would never happen to them. After all, "it would never happen to me because I ALWAYS x and y or i NEVER x and y". And then there is the other side of the human nature that wishes to punish those involved in the incident (no matter how unwittingly) because they are angry that their lives have been disturbed by having to think about the incident when they had a more peaceful, potentially less complicated life before.

As a side point, who goes to zoos?