Currently trending through social media is a horrifying accident regarding a child slipping at the Cincinnati zoo and being dragged by a 17-year-old gorilla. While scrolling through your newsfeeds you will find several articles and comments referring to this horrible incident. Some question if the gorilla being shot was the right move and some question the parents' lack of taking responsibility and keeping a better watch on their own child.
My opinion on this whole incident has changed the more time I have taken to reflect on it after reading more into this entire situation. At first glance, when I heard the child slipped into the enclosure, I immediately thought “What were the parents doing? Why weren’t they watching their own child?” If you visit a zoo of any type, you know there are wild animals present. Sure, they are behind glass, but regardless, you need to use precaution at all times. I am very much an animal lover and supporter and this entire situation breaks my heart. Personally, I am not surprised to see a wild animal dragging the child through the water aggressively. Ultimately, the child fell in the gorilla’s home, and I believe the gorilla reacted that way because either it was afraid or it was protecting its “home.” I am not saying that is the right behavior, nor do I wish the child was caused that danger and harm, but I am not surprised at the gorilla’s reaction. This is not "Tarzan"; gorillas are not friendly like the movie, so what more did you expect was going to happen? It’s a miracle the child survived after being dragged around through the water.
My biggest issue with this entire scenario for one is, why weren’t the parents keeping a better eye on their child? Why did no one else see the child or try to stop him? Why did the parents not try to jump in and save him? Although this all happened very quickly, these are still a few questions I find very disturbing about the whole situation that I want answers to.
As much as I wish both lives could have been saved during this horrific incident, I do believe, now, that the Cincinnati Zoo made the correct decision in shooting the 17-year-old gorilla. At first, I questioned why they did not just tranquilize the gorilla at that time, but after further research I realize that method wouldn’t have worked successfully. "Tranquilizers do not take effect for several minutes, and the child was in imminent danger. On top of that, the impact from the dart could agitate the animal and cause the situation to get much worse," Thane Maynard, director of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, said in a statement released Sunday.
Reflecting back on this entire scenario, the Cincinnati Zoo did take the right steps necessary in order to save the life of the child who was in danger. Ultimately, losing a loved one is never easy. Whether it’s a human being or an animal, the decision was not an easy one to make. However, in that quick moment of “What should we do?” I 100 percent side with the Cincinnati Zoo's decision; although it was not easy, it had to be done.
Rest in peace, Harambe
