Harambe

By now most of the world knows the name Harambe.  The silver back gorilla Harambe was shot and killed because it was perceived that it was a danger to a child that had fallen into Harambes enclosure.  I have seen multiple videos on what occurred (all were edited) and this is my opinion on the matter.

For one, that child should never have been able to fall into the enclosure to begin with.  I do not understand how a modern zoo enclosure is capable of being penetrated by a child.  I do not entirely leave the parent of the child blameless in this as any parent has looked away only briefly to find their kid doing something they are not supposed to do.  However it is obvious to me we have a zoo enclosure problem.

Now as to what happened after when the child had fallen in.  I am not the zoo keepers.  I do not know how that gorilla reacts to various stimulus let alone a crowd making a lot of noise and panic after a child falls into a silver back gorilla enclosure.  I have seen video of the gorilla agitated and also calm in the videos I watched.  As such the zoo keepers get the benefit of the doubt with respect to do, and thus unfortunately made the right decision.  

Final Thought:  We now have activists calling for the complete shutdown of zoos and some more moderate people calling for gorillas in general to be released back into the wild.  Zoos however serve a purpose.  They are designed (at least currently) to support awareness and money for programs for conservation, studying animals in ways that cannot be done in the wild, and even act as endangered species breeding centers.  We need zoos, and enclosures can be designed in ways that maximize space for the animals to mimic their natural environment and habits, while at the same time keeping the general public out of the enclosure itself and thus ensuring the safety of both the animals and the people visiting.  For animals that are too old or need freedom, a preserve can be set up to protect them.  Harambes death does not have to be in vain.