The internet is abuzz with calls for #JusticeForHarambe after a tragic incident at the Cincinnati Zoo. A four-year-old boy managed to slip under safety barriers and fell into the gorilla enclosure, where he came into contact with Harambe, a 17-year-old gorilla. For about ten minutes, Harambe dragged the child around, prompting zoo officials to make the heartbreaking decision to shoot the animal in order to protect the boy.
“The child was being dragged around,” stated Carl Thompson, the Cincinnati Zoo director. “His head was hitting concrete. This was not a gentle situation. The child was at risk.” Fortunately, the child suffered only a concussion, but the gorilla was known for his strength, capable of crushing coconuts with ease. The zoo staff had to act quickly as the gorilla began exhibiting signs of agitation.
“We are devastated by the loss of Harambe, but the priority was the child’s safety, and our Dangerous Animal Response Team had to make a rapid decision,” Thompson explained in a social media post. “We first attempted to call the gorillas out of the exhibit. While the two females complied, Harambe did not. It’s crucial to understand that tranquilizing a 450-pound gorilla was not viable; the effects take time, and the boy was in immediate danger. The dart’s impact could also escalate the situation.”
Zoo professionals made a difficult yet necessary choice to safeguard the child’s life. However, instead of focusing on the fact that a young life was saved, many are directing their anger toward the boy’s mother.
Parents know that young children can vanish in an instant. While it’s alarming that the child accessed the gorilla enclosure, witnesses confirmed that it occurred in mere seconds. It’s astonishing to see so many self-proclaimed Perfect Parents™ criticizing the mother. In reality, all parents have likely had a moment when their child momentarily slipped away—whether it be at the grocery store or while shopping at a department store. If you’ve never experienced that brief moment of panic, count your blessings; it’s sheer luck, not superior parenting skills.
One witness, Sarah Davis, shared with the New York Times that the event unfolded incredibly quickly and that the mother was not neglectful. “She had three other kids with her, one of whom was a baby,” Davis noted. “The boy was in the pen in the blink of an eye.”
Despite this, the internet erupted in outrage, leading to a Change.org petition demanding accountability from the boy’s parents. The petition reads:
“We, the undersigned, believe that the parents should be held responsible for the lack of supervision that led to Harambe’s death. The child’s safety is our primary concern, and we urge an investigation into the child’s home environment to protect him and his siblings from potential negligence.”
Seriously? You think a child should be removed from their home because their mother briefly lost sight of them at a zoo? To those who signed that petition, I say this: if you’re ready to toss a child into the foster system due to a tragic zoo incident, you might want to reconsider your priorities.
Additionally, the internet seems flooded with self-proclaimed experts on animal behavior. While Harambe was indeed a magnificent creature, the professionals determined that the life of a HUMAN CHILD takes precedence over that of a gorilla. It’s shocking that I even need to articulate such a statement.
The child—who is just four years old—wandered into an area he should never have accessed. Thanks to the swift actions of the zoo staff, he is still alive today.
In conclusion, this sad episode highlights the complexities of parenting and the quick decisions that can arise in crisis situations. For more insights on parenting and related topics, check out our other blog posts, including this one about artificial insemination kits and this resource on cleft palate awareness. Additionally, for those contemplating starting a family, this link provides excellent information on fertility treatments.