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NFT: Cincinnati Zoo Kills Gorilla to Protect Child

kelsto811 : 5/29/2016 11:31 am
The video is really scary to watch, they don't show the shooting but they do show the Gorilla with the child.

Getting away from the, it should have never happened in the first place...If it got to that, I can't see myself not jumping in there as an instant reaction. However, I guess that could make it much worse.
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Shit happens.  
ctc in ftmyers : 5/30/2016 9:40 am : link
period.

Looking to place blame?

Easy to do the morning after.
RE: The kid was probably better off  
BlueLou : 5/30/2016 9:45 am : link
In comment 12975320 est1986 said:
Quote:
With the Gorilla than the parents.


From the bit I saw on that link of the Gorilla gently touching the child, yeah. Gorilla.as calm and gentle.

Fucked up someone shot him.or her.
The gorilla was violently  
leatherneck570 : 5/30/2016 9:47 am : link
dragging the child around the enclosure. halo-effect much?
RE: The gorilla was violently  
BlueLou : 5/30/2016 9:50 am : link
In comment 12976106 leatherneck570 said:
Quote:
dragging the child around the enclosure. halo-effect much?


In another video? In another report? Based my comment on the link provided... and stated as much.
the halo effect comment wasn't  
leatherneck570 : 5/30/2016 9:55 am : link
directed at you specifically. Yes, in one video the boy is being dragged around like a rag doll.
The pitchfork  
LauderdaleMatty : 5/30/2016 9:55 am : link
Crowds gather all the time. Makes them feel superior behind their keyboards here . Doesn't matter the subject. Kids dart into traffic. Touch hot stoves. Etc. No one who has even watched children would ever insistist possible to watch theirs perfectly. Tragedies sadly happen. .
Shocking...  
Chris in Philly : 5/30/2016 10:05 am : link
A thread filled with rampant stupidity.
I agree with fkap. This is a tragedy, but I'm not gonna judge that  
yatqb : 5/30/2016 10:15 am : link
parent, as we just don't know enough to do so.

I know that as a parent stuff sometimes happens despite vigilance, caring and competence.
RE: the halo effect comment wasn't  
BlueLou : 5/30/2016 10:30 am : link
In comment 12976112 leatherneck570 said:
Quote:
directed at you specifically. Yes, in one video the boy is being dragged around like a rag doll.


Found the "unedited" cut posted on the Cindy news channel, and while there's no evidence that the Gorilla was intentionally harming the boy (more the opposite, really) there's little question the Gorilla might have harmed the boy simply by how quickly and forcibly the Gorilla pulled the child around.

Tough call on the zookeepers there. A little surprised there was no one more intimate with the big primate who could devise a non lethal strategy to separate the ape and child. The ape had lived there for 17 years, someone must have known him or her pretty well.
RE: RE: the halo effect comment wasn't  
leatherneck570 : 5/30/2016 10:35 am : link
In comment 12976138 BlueLou said:
Quote:
In comment 12976112 leatherneck570 said:


Quote:


directed at you specifically. Yes, in one video the boy is being dragged around like a rag doll.



Found the "unedited" cut posted on the Cindy news channel, and while there's no evidence that the Gorilla was intentionally harming the boy (more the opposite, really) there's little question the Gorilla might have harmed the boy simply by how quickly and forcibly the Gorilla pulled the child around.

Tough call on the zookeepers there. A little surprised there was no one more intimate with the big primate who could devise a non lethal strategy to separate the ape and child. The ape had lived there for 17 years, someone must have known him or her pretty well.


So let's take that last sentence and ASSUME that the zoo keepers did know this animal more than any of us possibly could and made the decision based on what they knew about his past behavior?
Funny how some here have to qualify  
Randy in CT : 5/30/2016 10:52 am : link
with "I'm no PETA supporter!!"

Duh.

Some stuff is just obviously tragic involving animals. An imprisoned animal (let's assume he'd rather be in the jungle (or wherever) is minding its business during its incarceration (for the bad judgement of being born a gorilla) and stupid fucking parents let their kid get himself into a life or death situation due to their incompetent parenting.

The zoos need to also get better at separating animals from the audience.

So, this has nothing to do with PETA (though this case is one they can point to, to make their case), but one of tragedy and a clear depiction of how humans are pretty good at fucking things up for animals.
.  
MOOPS : 5/30/2016 10:57 am : link
"We urge all Americans to boycott any establishment that puts wild animals on display for human enjoyment."

-PETA


"If the boy had exercised his Second Amendment rights and been armed, he could have easily defended himself."

-NRA
Like I mentioned  
mdthedream : 5/30/2016 11:28 am : link
its the job of the Zoo to make sure kids cant crawl in. Should have never happened.
RE: Like I mentioned  
yatqb : 5/30/2016 11:30 am : link
In comment 12976190 mdthedream said:
Quote:
its the job of the Zoo to make sure kids cant crawl in. Should have never happened.


Absolutely.
Why not tranquelize the gorilla?  
micky : 5/30/2016 11:36 am : link
from video..(though maybe not showing whole incident) the gorilla didn't seem to harm the child. I'm never fan of zoos and endangered species. They should be left alone in their natural habitat. bad all the way around..ugh
RE: Tragic - the zoo didn't really have a choice.  
mrvax : 5/30/2016 11:38 am : link
In comment 12975443 Big Blue Blogger said:
Quote:
Tranquilizer dart might have enraged the gorilla before taking effect.

The parents should spend the rest of their lives in community service for wildlife conservation. We've all had our inattentive moments, but this is ridiculous. If reports are accurate, the kid made his intentions known, and still made his way into the enclosure.


If I was King, I'd have the parents in jail for 2 years. Then off to 12 months of parenting school while they remain on probation.

Finally, I think 10 years, 8 hours per week of community service for wildlife conservation would be appropriate.
RE: Why not tranquelize the gorilla?  
leatherneck570 : 5/30/2016 12:18 pm : link
In comment 12976201 micky said:
Quote:
from video..(though maybe not showing whole incident) the gorilla didn't seem to harm the child. I'm never fan of zoos and endangered species. They should be left alone in their natural habitat. bad all the way around..ugh


It was stated by many wild life officials that 1. It may have made the gorilla upset, putting the child at risk and 2. It would have took too long to take effect.
This seems to happen too often  
AnnapolisMike : 5/30/2016 12:47 pm : link
Patron gets themselves into a cage with an animal...the animal pays the price for human stupidity. The zoo took the appropriate action in this case once the kid was in with the Gorilla. I am assuming they did not have the ability to lure the Gorilla away from the child.

If the Gorilla had killed the child....The zoo would have been taking the blame for that. Ultimately zoos have to do a better job protecting the animals from stupid humans.
The zoo is clearly at fault for not securing  
The Natural : 5/30/2016 12:59 pm : link
the pen...the parents are responsible as well.

For those who would have "jumped in"...I'm sure that an adult would not easily fit through the same space as a 4 year old.

Interaction with a wild animal can't end well, and if this was your child, killing the gorilla is a no brainer.
Great job by the mother.  
Dave in Hoboken : 5/30/2016 2:23 pm : link
Probably yapping away and forgot about her kid. Mother of the year, no doubt.
This wasn't a llama pen  
guineaT : 5/30/2016 2:57 pm : link
The zoo failed in it's responsibility they undertook to protect the interests of the animal they housed and the publics safety.


That's the bottom line.
Two of the last three posters got it right.  
manh george : 5/30/2016 3:06 pm : link
Kids go out of a parent's line of sight for a moment. It happens. It isn't too much to assume that a pen holding massive but endangered species like this would make it impossible for a four year old boy to slither through various cracks and crevices and make it into the pen.

Should the mother have assumed that a 4-year-old playing in the vicinity of a well-fenced gorilla pen was in mortal danger? Why would she think that? I know that when I took my son to the Bronx or Central Park zoo (20 years ago, before enclosures were modernized), there were times when he got out of my line of sight. Kids at the zoo get hopped up on adrenaline, frequently.

Not once did I think he was going in to play with lions, tigers or gorillas. The zoo fucked up. Period.
Some of the stuff  
Big Al : 5/30/2016 3:21 pm : link
being posted on Twitter about this make most here look like brain surgeons and nuclear physicists in comparison.
Jungle Jack Hanna agrees "1,000%" with zoo's decision  
BlackLight : 5/30/2016 3:24 pm : link
to kill the gorilla.
Of course they had to kill the gorrilla.  
manh george : 5/30/2016 3:30 pm : link
The first thing a tranquilizer gun does is make the animal disoriented. That would put the kid in more danger. The question isn't what the zoo did after the kid got in, it's wtf they didn't use adequate design standards so the kid didn't get in.

And all of the commentators here and on twitter who assume they KNOW that the mother was being inattentive are just blowing off steam. They have no facts to back it up.
2nd video  
5BowlsSoon : 5/30/2016 3:48 pm : link
Has been removed from you tube. Hmmm
RE: Fuck the parents  
santacruzom : 5/31/2016 1:06 am : link
In comment 12975538 napoleon said:
Quote:
They are idiots. Probably forget their kids in hot cars too.


And think that if they so, God will just create a cloud to cool the car down.
RE: Two of the last three posters got it right.  
RC02XX : 5/31/2016 1:47 am : link
In comment 12976357 manh george said:
Quote:
Kids go out of a parent's line of sight for a moment. It happens. It isn't too much to assume that a pen holding massive but endangered species like this would make it impossible for a four year old boy to slither through various cracks and crevices and make it into the pen.

Should the mother have assumed that a 4-year-old playing in the vicinity of a well-fenced gorilla pen was in mortal danger? Why would she think that? I know that when I took my son to the Bronx or Central Park zoo (20 years ago, before enclosures were modernized), there were times when he got out of my line of sight. Kids at the zoo get hopped up on adrenaline, frequently.

Not once did I think he was going in to play with lions, tigers or gorillas. The zoo fucked up. Period.


I agree with you. From what my wife has read and told me about, the mother was taking a quick picture for someone and told her child to hold onto her belt or something like that. But this wasn't the kid just wondering off, as he made his desire to go pet the gorilla known to his mom, which is why in the few moments that the mother was paying attention somewhere else, he made a b-line for the gorilla pen. And honestly, what parent would take their four year old's nonsensical talk about going to touch the gorilla seriously?

It's a tragic event that could have been far worse. However, any enclosure of a powerful and potentially dangerous animal that can be circumvented by a four year old is a fucking failure on the zoo's part.

Let's stop talking about how this mother needs to lose custody of her child until we know more about what kind of a mother she is. Sometimes good parents do get distracted for a few moments. It doesn't mean that they're terrible and should lose their children. Believe me it happens. As a father of two young kids, I've had my share of losing sight of my children for a few moments. And on rare occasions my one and a half year old boy has tried to wonder off. Thankfully neither of my kids have ever wanted to pet a dangerous animal.
I don't know...  
Modus Operandi : 5/31/2016 1:53 am : link
That's a fair point, Ronnie. I don't have kids, but I imagine they're a bitcher to look after.

That being said, and endangered animal was shot because she felt taking a picture was more important than looking after the kid. If I'm the zoo, I sue the lady.
RE: I don't know...  
RC02XX : 5/31/2016 2:00 am : link
In comment 12976883 Modus Operandi said:
Quote:
That's a fair point, Ronnie. I don't have kids, but I imagine they're a bitcher to look after.

That being said, and endangered animal was shot because she felt taking a picture was more important than looking after the kid. If I'm the zoo, I sue the lady.


Maybe she expected too much from her four year old to listen to her, which was her mistake of not knowing what her son was capable of. However, the zoo's enclosure is an abysmal failure if a child can outsmart it, especially one housing an endangered but definitely powerful animal.

And you can't look after your child 100% all the time. Believe me, it is not possible. And if you have a kid with the desire to go somewhere fast, even a quick distraction can result in some shit situation. It's tragic what happened. But the pitchfork being brought out seems unwarranted in my opinion, especially after reading what happened prior to the incident where the mother wasn't negligent as some want to make her out to be.
RE: Over/under on when the parents will file their lawsuit?  
Bramton1 : 5/31/2016 2:12 am : link
In comment 12975567 Sarcastic Sam said:
Quote:
I'll say 10 days...


Right now the identity of the parent and child are unknown. If I'm the mother, I thank my lucky stars that my child is safe, and leave it at that. I wouldn't want to attract any more attention to myself.
RE: RE: Over/under on when the parents will file their lawsuit?  
Kulish29 : 5/31/2016 2:40 am : link
In comment 12976902 Bramton1 said:
Quote:
In comment 12975567 Sarcastic Sam said:


Quote:


I'll say 10 days...



Right now the identity of the parent and child are unknown. If I'm the mother, I thank my lucky stars that my child is safe, and leave it at that. I wouldn't want to attract any more attention to myself.


Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
RE: This seems to happen too often  
Cam in MO : 5/31/2016 9:14 am : link
In comment 12976262 AnnapolisMike said:
Quote:
Patron gets themselves into a cage with an animal...the animal pays the price for human stupidity. The zoo took the appropriate action in this case once the kid was in with the Gorilla. I am assuming they did not have the ability to lure the Gorilla away from the child.

If the Gorilla had killed the child....The zoo would have been taking the blame for that. Ultimately zoos have to do a better job protecting the animals from stupid humans.


The Gorilla was already paying the price...ya know, being locked up in a small enclosure and not having a troop or normal social interaction.

Although it is quite the experience to see these animals in person, zoos are pretty archaic and frankly more torture than anything else for many of the species in captivity.


RE: I know people need to assign a bad guy in these types of situations  
jcn56 : 5/31/2016 9:25 am : link
In comment 12976090 leatherneck570 said:
Quote:
but c'mon... As a parent who would probably be considered a "helicopter parent" on BBI, I have to chime in here. It only takes a second or 2 to do what the child did according to reports I saw this morning. That's a quick glance down at the gorillas. Let's drop the pitchforks here guys. It's just a shitty situation all around.


This was my take on the situation as well. I think people have a hard time accepting that shit happens. It's possible that this woman wasn't a shitty parent, that the zoo did the right thing albeit the very difficult one, and that this was all just an extremely unfortunate event that could have been prevented by wasn't. Why someone needs to be dragged out and flogged is beyond me, as all of these people are already suffering in one way or another.
Don't want to upset anyone's opinion by offering facts....  
Tesla : 5/31/2016 9:40 am : link
but here's what an eyewitness said:

Quote:
Brittany Nicely was standing nearby on Saturday when the boy fell into the pen. She said it had all happened very fast. The mother, she said, had not been neglectful.

“She had three other kids that she was with. She had a baby in her arms,” said Ms. Nicely, 29, who has two children of her own.

The boy had made his move and was in the pen in “the blink of an eye,” she said.
RE: Don't want to upset anyone's opinion by offering facts....  
Chris in Philly : 5/31/2016 9:41 am : link
In comment 12977066 Tesla said:
Quote:
but here's what an eyewitness said:



Quote:


Brittany Nicely was standing nearby on Saturday when the boy fell into the pen. She said it had all happened very fast. The mother, she said, had not been neglectful.

“She had three other kids that she was with. She had a baby in her arms,” said Ms. Nicely, 29, who has two children of her own.

The boy had made his move and was in the pen in “the blink of an eye,” she said.



That doesn't fit the convenient narratives and Hot Takes.

Now, where is my buy one get one pitchfork coupon?
RE: RE: I know people need to assign a bad guy in these types of situations  
RC02XX : 5/31/2016 9:43 am : link
In comment 12977034 jcn56 said:
Quote:
In comment 12976090 leatherneck570 said:


Quote:


but c'mon... As a parent who would probably be considered a "helicopter parent" on BBI, I have to chime in here. It only takes a second or 2 to do what the child did according to reports I saw this morning. That's a quick glance down at the gorillas. Let's drop the pitchforks here guys. It's just a shitty situation all around.



This was my take on the situation as well. I think people have a hard time accepting that shit happens. It's possible that this woman wasn't a shitty parent, that the zoo did the right thing albeit the very difficult one, and that this was all just an extremely unfortunate event that could have been prevented by wasn't. Why someone needs to be dragged out and flogged is beyond me, as all of these people are already suffering in one way or another.


This has been my thought as well.

Could she have done a better job of being attentive? Probably. However, if this had happened near another enclosure, nothing would have happened. This was an unfortunate case of the perfect storm of events leading to a tragic outcome.

What kills me is people with no experience trying to keep watch over rambunctious and hyper kids being the harshest critics. We see that on social media and even on this thread. A mere few seconds of being distracted can lead to shitty situations. Doesn't mean that the parents are negligent or should lose custody.
She still has some blame considering that  
montanagiant : 5/31/2016 9:44 am : link
""In the moments before he fell, a witness heard the boy tell his mother he wanted to jump in with the gorillas""

RE: RE: This seems to happen too often  
RC02XX : 5/31/2016 9:44 am : link
In comment 12977025 Cam in MO said:
Quote:
The Gorilla was already paying the price...ya know, being locked up in a small enclosure and not having a troop or normal social interaction.

Although it is quite the experience to see these animals in person, zoos are pretty archaic and frankly more torture than anything else for many of the species in captivity.



When did you turn into a PETA rep, Cam? Not disagreeing with you, but just funny seeing this from you.
RE: She still has some blame considering that  
RC02XX : 5/31/2016 9:46 am : link
In comment 12977075 montanagiant said:
Quote:
""In the moments before he fell, a witness heard the boy tell his mother he wanted to jump in with the gorillas""


You know how many stupid shit that my daughter has said to me that I didn't take seriously? If parents take every single thing that their four year old said to them seriously, no parent would get a wink of sleep. Give me a break.
RE: She still has some blame considering that  
Chris in Philly : 5/31/2016 9:46 am : link
In comment 12977075 montanagiant said:
Quote:
""In the moments before he fell, a witness heard the boy tell his mother he wanted to jump in with the gorillas""


Kids say stupid shit all the time. Why would anyone have a reasonable expectation that a 4 year old could even get into the gorilla enclosure? Especially in that short a time.
My 2 cents  
5BowlsSoon : 5/31/2016 9:47 am : link
I'm a PETA card carrying loyalist but that killing was necessary.
RE: The gorilla was violently  
Randy in CT : 5/31/2016 9:47 am : link
In comment 12976106 leatherneck570 said:
Quote:
dragging the child around the enclosure. halo-effect much?
What is your douchey angle? Upset over everything in life? Contrarian, radar take on everything? Or just an asshole?
She used to have six kids  
Modus Operandi : 5/31/2016 9:52 am : link
But lost two last year in an unfortunate Hippopotamus accident at the Cincinnati Safari.
RE: RE: The gorilla was violently  
RC02XX : 5/31/2016 9:54 am : link
In comment 12977085 Randy in CT said:
Quote:
In comment 12976106 leatherneck570 said:


Quote:


dragging the child around the enclosure. halo-effect much?

What is your douchey angle? Upset over everything in life? Contrarian, radar take on everything? Or just an asshole?


That's cold blooded...leatherneck is a jerk but not radar level jerk.
everyone has to have someone to blame  
Greg from LI : 5/31/2016 9:55 am : link
The parents, the zoo, whoever. Nothing can ever just be an unfortunate accident - we have to have a culprit to be the focus of anger.
RE: RE: RE: This seems to happen too often  
Cam in MO : 5/31/2016 9:58 am : link
In comment 12977076 RC02XX said:
Quote:
In comment 12977025 Cam in MO said:


Quote:


The Gorilla was already paying the price...ya know, being locked up in a small enclosure and not having a troop or normal social interaction.

Although it is quite the experience to see these animals in person, zoos are pretty archaic and frankly more torture than anything else for many of the species in captivity.





When did you turn into a PETA rep, Cam? Not disagreeing with you, but just funny seeing this from you.


Can't stand PETA.

Read up a bit on zoos. Talk to zookeepers at your local zoo. Many of the animals are incredibly difficult to keep healthy because they're constantly fighting depression.

Folks have a difficult time understanding/admitting just how much like us most mammals are...emotionally at least.

Don't get me wrong- I love me some beef and pork. That doesn't mean I can't acknowledge that cows and pigs (and most other mammals) are capable of most of the same emotions that we feel...they're just tastier.

The saddest as far as captivity goes IMO, are the elephants and apes. Those species share basically the whole spectrum of emotion that we have, and are much more intelligent than people like to admit...(although it isn't the intelligence part that folks struggle with the most- it's the emotional part that gets overlooked so that we don't feel guilty about confining them). Hell, Ringling Brothers just a recently took elephants out of their shows for good, because it is a miserable existence for those animals, no matter how well we try to treat them.

Humans on the other hand- well fuck them. They suck.


Billy was 2.  
x meadowlander : 5/31/2016 10:04 am : link
In a busy mall parking lot - I unbuckled him from his baby seat, set him on the ground, grabbed the door handle to slide it shut - Billy slipped his hand from mine and SPRINTED toward the back of the van. I screamed at him to STOP at the top of my lungs.

Billy stopped.

And a city bus cruised right past the back of the van.



I'm lucky the kid stopped.

BBI would've had my head on a stick.
RE: Billy was 2.  
RC02XX : 5/31/2016 10:15 am : link
In comment 12977120 x meadowlander said:
Quote:
In a busy mall parking lot - I unbuckled him from his baby seat, set him on the ground, grabbed the door handle to slide it shut - Billy slipped his hand from mine and SPRINTED toward the back of the van. I screamed at him to STOP at the top of my lungs.

Billy stopped.

And a city bus cruised right past the back of the van.



I'm lucky the kid stopped.

BBI would've had my head on a stick.


I hear you. We were at the mall and while my wife was getting her eye brows threaded, I had walked into a nearby store where my five year old daughter and my one and half year old son could play with beanbag chairs. I turned around for a moment to tell my daughter to stop throwing things and when I turned around, my son had disappeared. My heart dropped as I picked up my daughter and ran out the door to look for him. Thankfully, my wife had caught him as he was turning right outside the door. It took maybe three seconds for my son to make a break for it. It seriously just takes a moment. And yes, some on BBI would clamor to have me lose custody of my kids for that.
Another time... same parking lot...  
x meadowlander : 5/31/2016 10:23 am : link
My 4 year old decides to help the 2 year old out of his seat - oldest son had already exited so the sliding door was open, as my wife came around the back of the van, the 4 year old drops the 2 year old - HEADFIRST into the parking lot.

That was a trip to the hospital and a cat scan.

He was OK - but again, with little one's, crazy shit like that is ALWAYS in play.

Don't judge without details. I've seen PLENTY of horrifically bad parenting, but stuff like this gorilla deal? Who knows?
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