Cincinnati Gorilla Harambe: PETA Reacts On Shooting Incident

Cincinnati gorilla's shooting incident has led to indignation, despite the zoo keepers' claim that shooting the 400-pound ape Harambe was needed to save the four-year old boy who got into the gorilla's enclosure. However, a video of the said encounter that seems to show that the gentle was, in fact, being protective of the child is making some to believe otherwise.

The Cincinnati gorilla Harambe had to be immediately put down to save the boy, according to the zoo director Thane Maynard. The director further explained that the use of a tranquilizer was not a safe alternative since it would have taken at least 10 minutes to become effective on such a big adult, male gorilla.  However, some believe that the decision was made just to keep the zoo from facing the likelihood of legal liabilities.

Based on reports, the zoo staff used a coded whistle to call the two female gorillas away from the enclosure. But Harambe did not react to the call. Some think that the act of his family leaving the enclosure has added to the gorilla's confusion even more, aside from the fact that the onlookers and the child were also screaming, which might have made the situation more intense.

In defense of the decision, other zoo directors argue that it was a difficult, yet the right call. Associate director of Accredited Zoos and Aquariums in Canada, Greg Tarry, said that it was evident that Harambe was not going to leave the child, since it took 10 minutes to persuade him. With no alternative left, Tarry believes that the zoo keepers had to think fast and employ any available solution, Examiner reported.

On the other hand, animal behavior expert Gisela Kaplan said that a gorilla has the intelligence to perceive a child as a threat to his family or territory or family. Kaplan further explained that if Harambe was going to attack, he would have given signs of warning like to charge and beat their chests. Similarly, animal rights group PETA condemned the incident, noting that excessive force was used, according to Vox.