After Shooting Of Harambe, Amidst Blame Game Cincinnati Zoo Gets Pressured To Change Barrier Around Gorilla Enclosure

The death of the 400-pound silverback gorilla, Harambe, who was shot and killed by officials at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden on Saturday happened at a time when public interest regarding the treatment of animals is at an all-time high. The enclosure that the boy fell into was actually the very first open viewing area of its kind and is now modeled in zoos across the country, but now officials are looking into changing the design of the barrier on the exhibit.

The crisis over the weekend that led to zoo officials shooting Harambe, an act they said was necessary, as the gorilla was acting agitated towards the 4-year-old boy when he got past the barrier and fell into the enclosure, has led to public outcry and many persons either blaming the parents of the boy or the zoo. Both the police and federal investigators are looking into the events which led to the killing of the gorilla, and the Cincinnati Zoo stands by its actions.

Zoo defends safety where boy climbed barrier and gorilla was shot dead https://t.co/ZAQXtfkH64 pic.twitter.com/6xzZYxMTdO

— NDTV (@ndtv) May 31, 2016

The design of the gorilla exhibit at the zoo was actually a pioneering one, leading the change from holding animals in locked cages in favor of the more realistic natural environment present now. The aim was for the animals to have a living environment which better reflected that which could be found in the wild and led to a range of exhibits adopting the style, from the natural habitats displayed behind walls of glass to the one Harambe was in — a more jungle-like setting protected and kept separate from the public by bamboo fences and hedges.

Zoo director Thane Maynard has maintained that the barriers of the exhibit are perfectly safe and noted that federal inspectors and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, routinely check the exhibit to ensure that they are up to code. These two bodies will also be investigating how the boy managed to crawl through the barriers surrounding the gorilla exhibit. Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden first opened Gorilla World in 1978, and in the 38 years since they began operating the outdoor gorilla center, this was the very first time that someone had gotten past the barrier.

Protestors outside Cincinnati Zoo, demanding action for #Harambe, Gorilla shot after child fell in enclosure. @WLWT pic.twitter.com/DZNlP7AcZ7

— Tammy Mutasa (@TammyWBZ) May 29, 2016

NDTV also has Maynard stating that barriers can be broken with determination.

“The barriers are safe. The barriers exceed any required protocols. The trouble with barriers is that whatever the barrier some people can get past it… No, the zoo is not negligent.”

The last inspection of the Gorilla World exhibit found no problems, but the previous inspections had reported several issues. In March, there was actually a potential danger to the public that involved polar bears wandering into a behind-the-scenes service hallway, but they were recaptured.

There is plenty of blame being thrown around, though, and Defense attorney Hal Arenstein has mentioned that the zoo faces a possible charge for child endangerment and also claims that the fact that the boy was able to gain access to the enclosure has violated the Animal Welfare Act.

Ohio zoo defends safety where boy climbed barrier and gorilla died https://t.co/pjDeYvq8ak #alaska pic.twitter.com/S0NLTlOwTP

— Alaska News Now (@alaskanewsnow) June 1, 2016

Some critics have placed the blame with the boy’s parents, stating that they should have been keeping a closer eye on the child, who the family actually says is now doing well after initially being rushed to and treated at a hospital in serious condition.

However, many are aiming the blame at the zoo itself, with claims that with the ten minutes which passed before the boy was rescued gave them ample time to use a tranquilizer gun on the Harambe instead of shooting and killing him. At least two animal rights groups were also holding the zoo responsible, based on charges that the gorilla enclosure should have consisted of more than a barrier made up of a fence, some bushes, and a moat.

According to CBS News, Child safety expert Kimberlee Mitchell said that attractions need to do better as many parents actually drop their guard at amusement parks and zoos.

“It’s unthinkable that a zoo exhibit would be created in such a way that a little 3-old-boy could climb in. He shouldn’t be able to get in there even with his mom’s head turned.”

[Photo by John Minchillo/AP Images]