Furious backlash after zoo shoots dead rare gorilla when boy fell into its enclosure

A ZOO is under fire for shooting a rare gorilla dead after a four-year-old boy fell into his enclosure.

The 200kg silverback was filmed dragging the youngster “like a ragdoll” for about 10 minutes — away from a wall and through a moat filled with water — as onlookers screamed with horror at Cincinnati Zoo, Ohio.

Animal lovers slammed zoo chiefs for their decision to kill 17-year-old Harambe — claiming he was only trying to protect the child, who was taken to hospital on Saturday, The Sun reported. Others lashed out at the child’s parents, even saying they should be charged with neglect.

One Twitter used wrote: “If Haramabe was going to injure or kill the child, he would have done so. He was protecting/rescuing. Senseless murder of an animal.”

The Hashtag #RIPHarambe is trending on Twitter and more than 4500 had liked the Facebook page Justice for Harambe.
 

The zoo defended its actions, saying staff reacted to a “life-threatening situation” and maintained a tranquilliser would not have had a quick enough effect.

During the ordeal, the boy’s mum could he heard shouting: “Mummy’s right here. Isaiah, be calm. Mummy loves you.”

Witness Kim O’Connor claimed she heard the boy say he wanted to get into the water surrounding Harambe’s pen.

It was claimed his mother replied: “No, you’re not, no, you’re not.” It is unclear how the boy slipped into the enclosure.

The witness added panicked bystanders may have aggravated the tense situation.

“I don’t know if the screaming did it or too many people hanging on the edge, if he thought we were coming in, but then he pulled the boy down away further from the big group,” she said.

The lad was rushed to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital but escaped without serious injury and is expected to make a full recovery.

Zoo director Thane Maynard said: “[The officials] made a tough choice and they made the right choice because they saved that little boy’s life. It could have been very bad.”

Maynard added it was “a very sad day for the zoo”.

He went on to claim that a tranquilliser would not have had a quick enough effect and could have endangered the boy’s life.

PLEASE morning shows, don't put these idiot parents on your programs. The gorilla is dead. NO ONE wants to hear from them. #Harambe

— Michelle Beadle (@MichelleDBeadle) May 29, 2016

How do you not pay attention to your kid long enough for him to climb through barricades & fall into a gorilla exhibit... #Harambe

— elizabeth (@elizabug789) May 29, 2016

sad thing is it looked like #Harambe was protecting the kid more than the parent was. #CincinnatiZoo

— brittany (@brittrosenthal) May 29, 2016

Rare gorilla #Harambe murdered by @CincinnatiZoo bc kid got in enclosure. Zoo & bad parents shld be held responsible pic.twitter.com/uIQE7L38Ux

— BrettMDecker ?? (@BrettMDecker) May 29, 2016

But social media commenters reacted with fury to the decision to kill the majestic ape.

Facebook user Jackie Lynn wrote: “He didn’t look vicious to me. Harambe was just a gorilla doing gorilla things. I can’t imagine the pain the other female gorillas are faced with. They need a strong male in their habitat to keep order.”

Another wrote on the Justice for Harambe Facebook page: “Glad the child is okay, but this beautiful animal DID NOT HAVE TO DIE!”

And Sheila Katko said: “I don’t see why they could not use tranquilliser rather than kill this beautiful creature.”