Gorilla shot Dead

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vexxxboy

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#1563313 31-May-2016 21:17

Azzura: Fortunately, the gorilla wasn't as quick to kill the child as the humans were in killing him....

because that would have been way better. Jeez.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

driller2000

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#1563333 31-May-2016 21:48

The zoo fencing is clearly inadequate and that is a key issue imo.

Kids are fast buggers - so criticism of the parents is a little harsh as they can disappear on you so damn quickly....

As for posters effectively saying "let the kid die" - what a bunch of heartless pri%ks - and i hope one day someone you love doesn't die because someone like you makes a choice to save an animal instead.

Seriously tragic for the gorilla, but in my view the right decision was made.

dejadeadnz

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#1563335 31-May-2016 21:55

driller2000:

The zoo fencing is clearly inadequate and that is a key issue imo.

Kids are fast buggers - so criticism of the parents is a little harsh as they can disappear on you so damn quickly....

As for posters effectively saying "let the kid die" - what a bunch of heartless pri%ks - and i hope one day someone you love doesn't die because someone like you makes a choice to save an animal instead.

Seriously tragic for the gorilla, but in my view the right decision was made.

The mistake you are making in responding as you have (I don't disagree one bit with what you actually wrote, BTW) is that you're assuming the sort of people who would have preferred the kid's life be risked is capable of any kind of empathy. To be frank, I'd question the humanity of some of the internet warriors against the kid and the parents or at least whether some of them have serious sociopathic tendencies.

JayADee

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#1563428 1-Jun-2016 07:32

So I read this morning the fence in question is a one metre high wall the kid climbed over. Originally the news made it sound like he crawled under or through a railing.

trig42

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#1563479 1-Jun-2016 09:13

The following popped up a couple of times on my Facebook feed this morning.

Written by Amanda O'Donoughue - a former Zookeeper:

I am going to try to clear up a few things that have been weighing on me about Harambe and the Cinci Zoo since I read the news this afternoon.

I have worked with Gorillas as a zookeeper while in my twenties (before children) and they are my favorite animal (out of dozens) that I have ever worked closely with. I am gonna go ahead and list a few facts, thoughts and opinions for those of you that aren't familiar with the species itself, or how a zoo operates in emergency situations.

Now Gorillas are considered 'gentle giants' at least when compared with their more aggressive cousins the chimpanzee, but a 400+ pound male in his prime is as strong as roughly 10 adult humans. What can you bench press? OK, now multiply that number by ten. An adult male silverback gorilla has one job, to protect his group. He does this by bluffing or intimidating anything that he feels threatened by.

Gorillas are considered a Class 1 mammal, the most dangerous class of mammals in the animal kingdom, again, merely due to their size and strength. They are grouped in with other apes, tigers, lions, bears, etc.

While working in an AZA accredited zoo with Apes, keepers DO NOT work in contact with them. Meaning they do NOT go in with these animals. There is always a welded mesh barrier between the animal and the humans.

In more recent decades, zoos have begun to redesign enclosures, removing all obvious caging and attempting to create a seamless view of the animals for the visitor to enjoy watching animals in a more natural looking habitat. *this is great until little children begin falling into exhibits* which of course can happen to anyone, especially in a crowded zoo-like setting.

I have watched this video over again, and with the silverback's postering, and tight lips, it's pretty much the stuff of any keeper's nightmares, and I have had MANY while working with them. This job is not for the complacent. Gorillas are kind, curious, and sometimes silly, but they are also very large, very strong animals. I always brought my OCD to work with me. checking and rechecking locks to make sure my animals and I remained separated before entering to clean.

I keep hearing that the Gorilla was trying to protect the boy. I do not find this to be true. Harambe reaches for the boys hands and arms, but only to position the child better for his own displaying purposes.

Males do very elaborate displays when highly agitated, slamming and dragging things about. Typically they would drag large branches, barrels and heavy weighted balls around to make as much noise as possible. Not in an effort to hurt anyone or anything (usually) but just to intimidate. It was clear to me that he was reacting to the screams coming from the gathering crowd.

Harambe was most likely not going to separate himself from that child without seriously hurting him first (again due to mere size and strength, not malicious intent) Why didn't they use treats? well, they attempted to call them off exhibit (which animals hate), the females in the group came in, but Harambe did not. What better treat for a captive animal than a real live kid!

They didn't use Tranquilizers for a few reasons, A. Harambe would've taken too long to become immobilized, and could have really injured the child in the process as the drugs used may not work quickly enough depending on the stress of the situation and the dose B. Harambe would've have drowned in the moat if immobilized in the water, and possibly fallen on the boy trapping him and drowning him as well.

Many zoos have the protocol to call on their expertly trained dart team in the event of an animal escape or in the event that a human is trapped with a dangerous animal. They will evaluate the scene as quickly and as safely as possible, and will make the most informed decision as how they will handle the animal.

I can't point fingers at anyone in this situation, but we need to really evaluate the safety of the animal enclosures from the visitor side. Not impeding that view is a tough one, but there should be no way that someone can find themselves inside of an animal's exhibit.

I know one thing for sure, those keepers lost a beautiful, and I mean gorgeous silverback and friend. I feel their loss with them this week. As educators and conservators of endangered species, all we can do is shine a light on the beauty and majesty of these animals in hopes to spark a love and a need to keep them from vanishing from our planet. Child killers, they are not. It's unfortunate for the conservation of the species, and the loss of revenue a beautiful zoo such as Cinci will lose. tragedy all around.

Very well written I thought.

Batman

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#1563483 1-Jun-2016 09:18

I think we have accepted that much already.

The current argument seems to be why don't we sacrifice humans once in a while. No idea what the fug says about that but I am in a bit of shock at the moment.

Dulouz

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#1563494 1-Jun-2016 09:32

If you're feeling really sad remember that Harambe was going to die one day anyway and so will you and the little boy. The only difference is how and why.

Amanon

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BTR

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#1563580 1-Jun-2016 11:45

driller2000:

As for posters effectively saying "let the kid die" - what a bunch of heartless pri%ks - and i hope one day someone you love doesn't die because someone like you makes a choice to save an animal instead.

I see this as a personal attack, at no point in this conversation have I called anyone names. Everyone has the right to share their opinion without being attacked.

You are also forgetting that humans are animals so by shooting the Gorilla they made a choice to save another animal..........

MikeAqua

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#1563645 1-Jun-2016 13:34

Yup.

Gorilla parenting standards are based around a much thicker skull.

Probably would have been OK to drag a baby gorilla around like that but not a human.

It's also been observed that male gorillas will engage on infanticide of other males offspring.

Tranquiliser - take time and may trigger an aggressive response. When gorillas get angry they tend to thrash/throw things.

trig42:

I saw the video of the Gorilla dragging the child around through that river - he was really moving. It looked as if all it would have taken is the child's head to hit something hard at that speed and it would have been goodnight and good luck.

Unfortunately, the Gorilla had to be stopped, and I guess a bullet is the quickest and best way to do it.

Mike

driller2000

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#1563931 2-Jun-2016 00:27

BTR:

driller2000:

As for posters effectively saying "let the kid die" - what a bunch of heartless pri%ks - and i hope one day someone you love doesn't die because someone like you makes a choice to save an animal instead.

I see this as a personal attack, at no point in this conversation have I called anyone names. Everyone has the right to share their opinion without being attacked.

You are also forgetting that humans are animals so by shooting the Gorilla they made a choice to save another animal..........

so you're ok with letting a kid die - but are offended about being called a "name"?

really? that's your takeaway from what i wrote?

BTR

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#1563975 2-Jun-2016 09:26

driller2000:

BTR:

driller2000:

As for posters effectively saying "let the kid die" - what a bunch of heartless pri%ks - and i hope one day someone you love doesn't die because someone like you makes a choice to save an animal instead.

I see this as a personal attack, at no point in this conversation have I called anyone names. Everyone has the right to share their opinion without being attacked.

You are also forgetting that humans are animals so by shooting the Gorilla they made a choice to save another animal..........

so you're ok with letting a kid die - but are offended about being called a "name"?

really? that's your takeaway from what i wrote?

I was raising a thought and keeping the conversation civilised and within the forums FUG. You on the other hand weren't and resorted to defamation. Everybody is entitled to opinions and I don't expect you to agree but when you start making offensive personal attacks you cross a line.

I suspect you need to read the forum guidelines again.

DaveB

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#1564526 2-Jun-2016 19:59

BTR:

driller2000:

BTR:

driller2000:

As for posters effectively saying "let the kid die" - what a bunch of heartless pri%ks - and i hope one day someone you love doesn't die because someone like you makes a choice to save an animal instead.

I see this as a personal attack, at no point in this conversation have I called anyone names. Everyone has the right to share their opinion without being attacked.

You are also forgetting that humans are animals so by shooting the Gorilla they made a choice to save another animal..........

so you're ok with letting a kid die - but are offended about being called a "name"?

really? that's your takeaway from what i wrote?

I was raising a thought and keeping the conversation civilised and within the forums FUG. You on the other hand weren't and resorted to defamation. Everybody is entitled to opinions and I don't expect you to agree but when you start making offensive personal attacks you cross a line.

I suspect you need to read the forum guidelines again.

Has a post been deleted? Did I miss something?

Defamation? Offensive personal attacks? What sad, world of victims are you living in?

I must have missed a deleted post but will tell you this - your post .... "The gorilla is more important than a human life" is one of the saddest things I have ever had the misfortune of reading on Geekzone. I really hope that when you eventually have children yourself, you finally wake up and see the world for what it is. Yes, sometimes it just ain't fair and something has to give. But a child's life?

freitasm

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#1564537 2-Jun-2016 20:11

Calm down everyone.

Batman

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#1564552 2-Jun-2016 20:19

DaveB:

BTR:

driller2000:

BTR:

driller2000:

As for posters effectively saying "let the kid die" - what a bunch of heartless pri%ks - and i hope one day someone you love doesn't die because someone like you makes a choice to save an animal instead.

I see this as a personal attack, at no point in this conversation have I called anyone names. Everyone has the right to share their opinion without being attacked.

You are also forgetting that humans are animals so by shooting the Gorilla they made a choice to save another animal..........

so you're ok with letting a kid die - but are offended about being called a "name"?

really? that's your takeaway from what i wrote?

I was raising a thought and keeping the conversation civilised and within the forums FUG. You on the other hand weren't and resorted to defamation. Everybody is entitled to opinions and I don't expect you to agree but when you start making offensive personal attacks you cross a line.

I suspect you need to read the forum guidelines again.

Has a post been deleted? Did I miss something?

Defamation? Offensive personal attacks? What sad, world of victims are you living in?

I must have missed a deleted post but will tell you this - your post .... "The gorilla is more important than a human life" is one of the saddest things I have ever had the misfortune of reading on Geekzone. I really hope that when you eventually have children yourself, you finally wake up and see the world for what it is. Yes, sometimes it just ain't fair and something has to give. But a child's life?

To some people, a bacteria and a cat is life, but a child in or out of the uterus is not. That's how it is.

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