Cincinatti Zoo officials shoot and kill gorilla after child falls into enclosure

[Lincoln Republican]

A 4 year old child fell into the gorilla enclosure at the  Cincinnati Zoo, the gorilla got a hold of the child and the zoo made the decision to shoot and kill the gorilla.

Did the zoo make the right decision?

There is a movement now to sue the parents of the child.

I believe the Zoo made the absolute right decision.  It was unclear what the gorilla would ultimately do to the child, so it was far more important to save the life of the child than the life of the gorilla, even though it is an endangered species.     

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2016/05/28/police-child-taken-hospital-after-falling-into-gorilla-pen/85095094/

[dead0man]

Now a bunch of people that have never had kids get to feel superior to someone!

[Lincoln Republican]

When a 400-500 pound ape is dragging a toddler across a concrete floor, with the child's head  bouncing up and down on the concrete floor, yes, it is time to kill the ape and save the child.

[Joe Republic]

I believe the Zoo made the absolute right decision.  It was unclear what the gorilla would ultimately do to the child, so it was far more important to save the life of the child than the life of the gorilla, even though it is an endangered species.     

How so?  Human children aren't endangered.  And as dead0man would say, "darwin'd, lol".

When a 400-500 pound ape is dragging a toddler across a concrete floor, with the child's head  bouncing up and down on the concrete floor, yes, it is time to kill the ape and save the child.

That didn't happen, though.

[Ban my account ffs!]

This story has done such an excellent job at showcasing everything that is wrong with people and the internet.

[they don't love you like i love you]

When a 400-500 pound ape is dragging a toddler across a concrete floor, with the child's head  bouncing up and down on the concrete floor, yes, it is time to kill the ape and save the child.

That doesn't mean the parents aren't at fault for allowing this in the first place. Or the obvious poor enclosure of the zoo as well.

[DemPGH]

Yes, the correct decision was made. There are other issues in play, but yes, the crux of the issue is that a child was being dragged off by a gorilla, and the answer is pretty clear. That boy is very fortunate the gorilla didn't grab him and just snap him in two, or worse.

[Goldwater]

Why is this vote so close? What were they supposed to do, let the gorilla kill the child?

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Why is this vote so close? What were they supposed to do, let the gorilla kill the child?

This.  There really aren't two sides to this one.

[Joe Republic]

I forget that most people still believe that humans are an endangered species that need protecting.  Oh well.

[Green Line]

I forget that most people still believe that humans are an endangered species that need protecting.  Oh well.

A human life is more valuable than an ape life.

[Joe Republic]

I forget that most people still believe that humans are an endangered species that need protecting.  Oh well.

A human life is more valuable than an ape life.

If you say so.

[ingemann]

When a 400-500 pound ape is dragging a toddler across a concrete floor, with the child's head  bouncing up and down on the concrete floor, yes, it is time to kill the ape and save the child.

That doesn't mean the parents aren't at fault for allowing this in the first place. Or the obvious poor enclosure of the zoo as well.

Sometimes bad things happens and it's really nobodies fault. I think we often fail to accept that. Of course somebody may be to blame, but in that case we will likely hear about it in a few days or weeks.

[ingemann]

I forget that most people still believe that humans are an endangered species that need protecting.  Oh well.

A human life is more valuable than an ape life.

If you say so.

You're welcome to die to save an ape, but most of us values ours, our families' and even stranger's lives above that of an ape. In fact even with your comment, if I had to shoot a rare ape to save your life, I would do so.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

I forget that most people still believe that humans are an endangered species that need protecting.  Oh well.

A human life is more valuable than an ape life.

If you say so.

You're welcome to die to save an ape, but most of us values ours, our families' and even stranger's lives above that of an ape. In fact even with your comment, if I had to shoot a rare ape to save your life, I would do so.

Pretty sure Joe's trolling you, he's too smart to actually believe a human life and a gorilla's life are of equal value.

[IceSpear]

If we evolved from apes, then the child's life wouldn't be worth more than the ape's and there would have been no need to kill it.

Checkmate LIEberals.

[they don't love you like i love you]

When a 400-500 pound ape is dragging a toddler across a concrete floor, with the child's head  bouncing up and down on the concrete floor, yes, it is time to kill the ape and save the child.

That doesn't mean the parents aren't at fault for allowing this in the first place. Or the obvious poor enclosure of the zoo as well.

Sometimes bad things happens and it's really nobodies fault. I think we often fail to accept that. Of course somebody may be to blame, but in that case we will likely hear about it in a few days or weeks.

If a 4 year old is able to get into such an enclosure, then either it's set up poorly, the parents weren't paying enough attention or (most likely) both. That sort of thing just doesn't happen as an accident. How many of these incidents occur at zoos frequently?

[Kingpoleon]

Yes, but what's wrong with shooting the gorilla with a tranquilizer??

[they don't love you like i love you]

Yes, but what's wrong with shooting the gorilla with a tranquilizer??

They don't work like they do in movies. Tranquilizers take several minutes to knock out an animal that large. And shooting a dart into it would aggravate it in the meantime and likely put the boy in more danger.

The zoo actually did consider that but it wasn't a safe option.

[Reginald]

I like how this is a national news story.

[This account no longer in use.]

No; at the end of the day, the gorilla was not at fault. (Sane)

[Goldwater]

No; at the end of the day, the gorilla was not at fault. (Sane)

Like BRTD said, the fault is probably a combination of the parents and the zoo, so yeah the gorilla wasn't at fault. However, that doesn't mean they can just let the child die due to the negligence of the parents and the zoo.

[Kingpoleon]

Yes, but what's wrong with shooting the gorilla with a tranquilizer??

They don't work like they do in movies. Tranquilizers take several minutes to knock out an animal that large. And shooting a dart into it would aggravate it in the meantime and likely put the boy in more danger.

The zoo actually did consider that but it wasn't a safe option.

Multiple darts would speed up the process, especially if they got a few neck shots and a shot in the arm holding the child.

[Joe Republic]

I forget that most people still believe that humans are an endangered species that need protecting.  Oh well.

A human life is more valuable than an ape life.

If you say so.

You're welcome to die to save an ape, but most of us values ours, our families' and even stranger's lives above that of an ape. In fact even with your comment, if I had to shoot a rare ape to save your life, I would do so.

Pretty sure Joe's trolling you, he's too smart to actually believe a human life and a gorilla's life are of equal value.

You misunderstand me.  I never mentioned the "value" of either or any species, although I suppose making such comparisons is a very human thing to do.

My annoyance over this incident (and the response) comes more from humans once again displaying arrogance over our status as literally the master race, despite being - in effect - an invasive parasite.  But that's a discussion for elsewhere, least of all in a thread about a dead gorilla and some bratty kid who lived to tell the tale.

(Btw, I'm neither vegan nor vegetarian, nor even a depressed nihilist.  I'm a greedy, selfish human like everybody else. )

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

I forget that most people still believe that humans are an endangered species that need protecting.  Oh well.

A human life is more valuable than an ape life.

If you say so.

You're welcome to die to save an ape, but most of us values ours, our families' and even stranger's lives above that of an ape. In fact even with your comment, if I had to shoot a rare ape to save your life, I would do so.

Pretty sure Joe's trolling you, he's too smart to actually believe a human life and a gorilla's life are of equal value.

You misunderstand me.  I never mentioned the "value" of either or any species, although I suppose making such comparisons is a very human thing to do.

My annoyance over this incident (and the response) comes more from humans once again displaying arrogance over our status as literally the master race, despite being - in effect - an invasive parasite.  But that's a discussion for elsewhere, least of all in a thread about a dead gorilla and some bratty kid who lived to tell the tale.

(Btw, I'm neither vegan nor vegetarian, nor even a depressed nihilist.  I'm a greedy, selfish human like everybody else. )

Ah, fair enough, I suppose.  Incidentally, I do agree with you that we've basically become a parasitic species in many ways, but it is what it is.