Nobody wanted this to happen. So why did we let it? Recently a gorilla was shot dead at the Cincinnati Zoo after a young boy entered the enclosure. Many people are throwing their two cents in on the subject, with opinions ranging from blaming the boy's mother for negligence, the zoo for not securing enclosures enough and opting to kill the gorilla rather than tranquilize it, and others defending the mother claiming that young children are nearly impossible to stop when they run off. I think we are missing the larger issue here: what is our collective responsibility around wild animals?

This story is tragic but not wholly uncommon. Earlier this May, park rangers had to euthanize a bison calf at Yellowstone National Park after visitors tried to "rescue" it when they believed the calf to be sick or injured, despite numerous warnings and signs telling visitors to keep their distance from the animals. On May 22, two lions had to be shot to death after a man entered their enclosure at a Santiago zoo attempting to commit suicide. This month alone has resulted in innocent animal deaths due to human negligence and irresponsibility.

In my opinion, this is absolutely inexcusable. Whether or not you agree with the concept of zoos (which is an argument for another day), you cannot deny the fact that these animals are not meant to be around people. They are wild animals, after all. It's incredibly unjust that lions were shot after attacking a man who taunted them. Why are the lions being punished because a man entered their cage of his own free will? That being said, what is the real problem here and how can we solve it?

A lot of people say that this recent incident is a case of poor parenting and irresponsibility on the part of the zoo. While kids running off is generally dangerous, we forget that it's exceptionally dangerous in a place where wild creatures are present. When we are around wild animals at zoos and national parks, we think of the animals as novelties and amusements until we are face-to-face, both as living creatures; the deer or elk is merely a photo opportunity until it is close enough to bite you.

I think that this incident is a case of general human irresponsibility that has been present and continues to be present in the presence of nature. Any time we are going to allow humans to be in close proximity to these types of animals, we have to be conscious of how our actions and behaviors will affect them. When you get down to it, we are all living creatures on Earth fighting for our own safety and well-being.

So yes, kids will be kids and run off and they may not understand the potential dangers. However, if we are going to choose to bring them places where wild animals are present, it is our job to make them understand.

If you've ever read Yann Martel's "Life of Pi," you may remember a part in the story where Pi's father shows him and his brother Ravi how dangerous the animals in the zoo can be by feeding the tiger a live goat in front of the kids. While this may be an extreme way to get the point across, I think we all need to step up and help both kids and others realize how important it is to respect wild animals. Nature can be brutal. It is our collective job to keep both each other and the animals safe.

It is human responsibility to understand that you need to be extra careful anytime you are around wild animals. It is our responsibility to read signs and obey rules when in wild areas or anytime there is a chance we can encounter creatures who are unfamiliar with us. We cannot and should not carelessly wander about these places, thinking that rules don't apply to us and there's someone else (zoo employees, parents or park rangers) to be held accountable for our own actions. We need to hold ourselves to higher standards both for our sake and the sake of the animals we love and admire. Animals, while interesting and beautiful, are not here for our amusement. They are concerned for their own safety like we are concerned for ours. They are living beings just like us.

By pointing fingers at those involved, we are ignoring the problem at large. It doesn't matter if this is a case of negligent parenting or a tragic accident; unfortunately, both negligent parents and tragic accidents will continue to exist long after the buzz around this particular story fades away. Our actions will continue to affect other beings around us. Therefore, when wild animals are present, we need to be hyper-aware of our surroundings. We need to start being more conscious in places like zoos, national parks, camp grounds and other wild spaces. Educate yourself and others in your party about how to stay safe. Both your safety and the safety of the animals depends on it.

So let's stop arguing over who is to blame and instead prevent situations like this from happening at all. If you see a curious toddler or cocky teen sticking his hand in the tiger cage, tell them to knock it off. If you think an animal in the woods may be hurt, call park rangers or animal control instead of trying to handle it yourself. We need to remember that we are all a community of living beings, and have mutual respect for each other.