Zoo officials have shot dead a gorilla after a four-year-old boy fell into its enclosure in the US city of Cincinnati. The boy climbed though a barrier and fell into a moat full of water, where he was grabbed and dragged by the gorilla.
The zoo said it took action to shoot the 180 kg gorilla as the situation was “life-threatening”. The boy is expected to recover from the shock and injuries soon.
last week, two lions were shot dead in a zoo in Chile after a man entered their pen in an apparent suicide attempt.
Cincinnati Zoo has temporarily shut its gorilla exhibit following the incident on Saturday. The boy had fallen about 10-feet into the moat. Video shows the boy being dragged through the shallow moat. The gorilla then stops, with the child below him and looking up at him.
But the boy was reportedly dragged by the 17-year-old male western lowland gorilla named Harambe for about 10 minutes. The child was taken to a local hospital and although no information about his condition has been released it is believed he will recover.
Zoo Director Thane Maynard said, “The officials made a tough choice and they made the right choice because they saved that little boy’s life. It could have been very bad.”
He said a tranquilliser would not have had a quick enough effect. Maynard said that although the boy was not under attack, he “certainly was at risk”.
He added, “We are all devastated that this tragic accident resulted in the death of a critically-endangered gorilla. This is a huge loss for the zoo family and the gorilla population worldwide.” Two female gorillas in the enclosure did not approach the child and were unharmed.
Harambe was born in captivity in Texas and moved to Cincinnati Zoo in 2014, where it was hoped he could be part of a breeding programme. Cincinnati Zoo has had the largest number of western lowland gorilla births in the US.
Witness Kim O’Connor shared the video she and her family recorded with WlWT-TV of the boy and Harambe. The two appear in a corner of the exhibit while a voice yells “Somebody call the zoo!” and “Mommy’s right here.” later, the two are shown in the moat. At one point, Harambe touches the boy’s back and arms. A woman’s voice is heard saying “Be calm, be calm.”
Two female gorillas also were in the enclosure when the boy fell in but zoo officials said only the male remained with the child.