The controversy of Harambe’s death wages on as authorities continue to investigate the incident at Cincinnati Zoo, where a boy fell into the Gorilla World exhibit’s enclosure. Through the zoo’s blog , director Thane Maynard defended the officials’ decision. For zookeepers, the 17-year-old primate’s unexpected death will affect their Gorilla Species Survival Plan.
Cincinnati Zoo is being criticized for not trying to tranquilize the primate first before resorting to a lethal solution, but for Maynard, they were left with no choice.
“We are heartbroken about losing Harambe, but a child’s life was in danger and a quick decision had to be made by our Dangerous Animal Response Team. It is important to note that with the child still in the exhibit, tranquilizing the 450-pound (204-kg) gorilla was not an option. 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.”
Gorillas of Harambe’s kind are now critically endangered, and that’s why U.S. zoos have the Gorilla Species Survival Plan. The plan closely monitors the breeding of more than 300 gorillas in accredited zoos in the country. This can be compared to a matchmaking game where Silverback males are paired with females. However, the pairing is easier said than done. To maintain genetic diversity, the male has to be strong.
Details on sad incident at Cincinnati Zoo today: https://t.co/s9bYFTef0H pic.twitter.com/7gBqmw9DR7
— Cincinnati Zoo (@CincinnatiZoo) May 28, 2016
Cincinnati Zoo had great plans for Harambe, as he was qualified to father baby gorillas upon reaching a certain age. While it is natural for a male Silverback to lead a troop of females, the ratio of newborn male and female gorillas is rarely equal. This means not all males have the chance to lead a troop of females and breed. Harambe was one of the few who had the opportunity to lead their own troop. Maynard described his demise as a “loss to the gene pool of lowland gorillas.”
Chewie and Mara, the two females in his troop, were slightly older than him because the zoo thought they could help Harambe adjust into adulthood. The zoo believed it was an important phase to prepare Harambe for his mission to father babies.
While the zoo’s biologists have collected sperm samples from Harambe for freezing, these samples may only be used for further studies and not for breeding purposes.
Meanwhile, despite the criticisms the boy’s family is getting on social media, his family members have asked people to make donations to the zoo in memory of Harambe.
“We continue to praise God for his grace and mercy, and to be thankful to the Cincinnati Zoo for their actions taken to protect our child. Some have offered money to the family, which we do not want and will not accept. If anyone wishes to make a gift, we recommend a donation to the Cincinnati Zoo in Harambe’s name.”
Michelle Gregg had to issue a statement on Facebook for her alleged negligence that caused the 3-year-old to enter the enclosure. After 10 minutes of being inside, the zoo’s officials made the difficult decision to shoot the Silverback.
“As a society we are quick to judge how a parent could take their eyes off of their child and if anyone knows me I keep a tight watch on my kids. Accidents happen but I am thankful that the right people were in the right place today.”
Animal rights group Stop Animal Exploitation Now has also filed a complaint against Cincinnati Zoo. In its letter addressed to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the group says that the zoo was negligent because the boy was able to get past the barrier. The organization is urging the department to penalize the zoo with an amount not exceeding $10,000.
[Photo by John Sommers II/Getty Images]
