Dead Gorilla

[HannahT]

No, but they should be making a reasonable effort to prevent people (especially kids) from entering the area. Now, this doesn't mean that they could possibly identify every means that a child could come up with to get in and prevent it, but when that means is shown, they should move to fix it. Kid move a trash can over to climb on it and over the fence? Make the cans harder for kids to move or raise the height of the fence.

If there was some means of entering the area that the Zoo knew or should have known about but did not address, then that would place some blame on the Zoo.

So, the first time in 30 years someone gets pass it is unreasonable? Come on!

You haven't shown that others have ran into this same issue so far. You also haven't shown they didn't do things to prevent it - when it did. Which would be hard to do since so far we have had it happen once.

Yet, let's jump to blame the zoo over something that hasn't been proven.

This is a tragic accident. I'm sure at this point they will make improvements.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

If a toddler can get passed a barricade that contains a 400 lb. Gorilla, then that really says something...

That's saying a parent wasn't doing their job. I also think the zoo will do things, to prevent this from happening again. But the mother wasn't watching her child. At least they found the child. This child could have wondered in to the street. Got hit by a car. Before the mother or caregiver even thought about the child. I find both at fault. But more the parent, that wasn't watching their child. I'm sure they have signs to keep an eye on your child, because of dangerous animals.

 

[Nithavela]

Leningrad and Stalingrad come to mind. Mmmmm, long pig.

Or the Donner party, to invoke a non-war example.

 

[Tree of Life]

Jack Hannah thinks the Zoo made the right call.

 

[trunks2k]

So, the first time in 30 years someone gets pass it is unreasonable? Come on!

I don't think I said that....

You haven't shown that others have ran into this same issue so far. You also haven't shown they didn't do things to prevent it - when it did. Which would be hard to do since so far we have had it happen once.

I get the feeling you didn't quite understand what I wrote or my position.

Yet, let's jump to blame the zoo over something that hasn't been proven.

I'm not blaming the Zoo. In fact earlier I specifically said I'm withholding judgement in regards to the fault of the zoo.

This is a tragic accident. I'm sure at this point they will make improvements.

I'm not saying otherwise.

In response to your comment about them not having a walkway that invites people to wander into the enclosure, I was explaining how they don't need something like that for the zoo to be at fault. If the zoo knew about or should have known about a way a young child could gain access to the enclosure, and did nothing to fix it, that would put the fault on the zoo. I am NOT saying that it is the case here as I don't know how the kid actually managed to get into the enclosure and whether or not they had to deal with similar issues in the past. In fact, this is what I said in post 104:

I'll withhold judgement on that [whether or not the zoo is at fault]. It could have easily been that the kid managed to come across a weakness in the system that reasonably went unnoticed for a long time. You can only do so much to prevent something like this from happening and can only see where a flaw is in it when someone exploits it. If that system had been keeping people out for years and years, and never had an incident that indicated a problem, I have a tough time faulting the zoo.

I'll even go a step further... based on what I have been told so far, I don't really blame anyone. It was just a tragic accident. As far as I can tell nobody was negligent or acting otherwise unreasonably. Sometimes fecal matter happens. The closest negligence you can get is the mom, and even then I find it hard to blame a parent for losing track of their child - it's not an uncommon problem. I would venture a guess that at the very least a sizable minority of parents (if not a majority) have at some point lost track of a child in a public place, it just usually doesn't end up involving a 400lb gorilla.

 

[farout]

Parent should keep a better eye on their 4 year old. So thing like this don't happen. Do I feel horrible for the parent? No. Their kid is fine. And they deserve to be startled like that. I feel bad about a gorilla getting killed, for something that wasn't his fault.

What about the ZOO? They have a HUGE responsibility! If a 4 year old could get over and into the cage something is WRONF! The responsibility of the ZOO is to make sure children are safe! Clearly the ZOO FAILED to adequately provide proper and reasonable secure protection for small children climbing into this cage! The ZOO FAILED to protect the Gorilla from a child entering the cage! When constructing a cage EVERY where a there is an opportunity for intrusion must be elimated, before construction even begins. The ZOO FAILED!

 

[trunks2k]

What about the ZOO? They have a HUGE responsibility! If a 4 year old could get over and into the cage something is WRONF! The responsibility of the ZOO is to make sure children are safe! Clearly the ZOO FAILED to adequately provide proper and reasonable secure protection for small children climbing into this cage! The ZOO FAILED to protect the Gorilla from a child entering the cage! When constructing a cage EVERY where a there is an opportunity for intrusion must be elimated, before construction even begins. The ZOO FAILED!

The zoo has responsibility within reason. I dunno how the kid managed to get into enclosure, but he could have figured out a way in despite all reasonable efforts to prevent it. As I mentioned earlier, sometimes you can't seen an exploit until it gets exploited. If this enclosure has been around for several years and never had an issue that indicated there was a means for a young child to get in, then I have a tougher time blaming the zoo.

 

[Julie.S]

What about the ZOO? They have a HUGE responsibility! If a 4 year old could get over and into the cage something is WRONF! The responsibility of the ZOO is to make sure children are safe! Clearly the ZOO FAILED to adequately provide proper and reasonable secure protection for small children climbing into this cage! The ZOO FAILED to protect the Gorilla from a child entering the cage! When constructing a cage EVERY where a there is an opportunity for intrusion must be elimated, before construction even begins. The ZOO FAILED!

In that case then how is it that no one else but this kid got in? There are hundreds of other kids that age visiting the zoo. I saw a comment someplace in regards to the same thing.

I think the parents are to blame in this also to a degree. A parents job is mostly to protect their young and provide for them while teaching them what to do.

 

[farout]

The parents were inattentive to a young curious child in a dangerous place. The child's injuries are solely on them.
I feel for the child having to suffer that.
I feel for the gorilla in that lowland silver back gorillas are endangered. And this one did not have to die. He wasn't going to hurt this boy. He was protecting this child as he would one of his own. The screaming people caused the gorilla to go into protective mode. He covered the boy and stood there looking at the crowd of screamers.

He wasn't able to discern they were screaming in fear of the child. In his world even in captivity screaming passionate emotions that gorillas can sense on a wholly different level than humans means threat. He was protecting the child not risking his life.

Now this boy will have to live with the horrific emotional scars afforded from his fall and injuries. As well as hearing the gunshots , the buckling shock of the bullet impacts upon the body of the gorilla who was protecting him. The smell of cordite, hot blood, the sounds of the gorilla taking the bullets and then dying.

Because humans in this case were at fault all the way around.

A tranquilizer would have saved the boy and the gorilla. The decision to kill this gorilla was irresponsible.

Interesting that you think the mother was inattentive, and that you consider a Zoo is "a dangerous place". Zoo's have always been a place parents have taken their children to see the creatures God has made. One of the main advertisements shows children having a good time. No where was it posted to be careful as this Zoo was a dangerous place for children.

If a very young child who just recently became four years old could somehow enter the cage, who is at fault for not adequately designed a child proof cage? Be assured in recent times not long ago families of much more than 6 were common, so the mother was trusting the Zoo had made a intrusion proof cage for such a dangerous animal. That was reasonable to assume.

If this were your child, and you saw the gorilla dragging your child around by the arm under the water, I would bet you would be yelling "SAVE THE GORILLA" RIGHT? the Zoo keepers and all the officials said the child was in very serious danger of the gorilla killing him. The EXPERTS said the only thing to do was save the child, which meant ending the gorillas life.

Being an endangered animal the Zoo had a responsibility to be totally sure the gorilla was protected against the public, especially the possibility of anyone by whatever means entering that cage. The Zoon was liable for protecting, caring for and caring for that very special endangered gorilla. The Zoo failed to protect the gorilla and the child. There is the direct responsibility, and the public trusts zoos to provide the children and the animals total separation between the two, except a petting zoon.

THE ZOO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GORILLAS DEATH AND THE CHILDS INJURIES.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

What about the ZOO? They have a HUGE responsibility! If a 4 year old could get over and into the cage something is WRONF! The responsibility of the ZOO is to make sure children are safe! Clearly the ZOO FAILED to adequately provide proper and reasonable secure protection for small children climbing into this cage! The ZOO FAILED to protect the Gorilla from a child entering the cage! When constructing a cage EVERY where a there is an opportunity for intrusion must be elimated, before construction even begins. The ZOO FAILED!

Actually, it's both parents and zoo's responsibilities. Both failed. I'm sure there's signs all over the place about watching your kids, zoo dangers. Even at amusement parts. There are dangers, if parents don't do their job. A kid can get into dangerous places and get killed. That's why parents or guardians are there to watch them.

 

[farout]

The zoo has responsibility within reason. I dunno how the kid managed to get into enclosure, but he could have figured out a way in despite all reasonable efforts to prevent it. As I mentioned earlier, sometimes you can't seen an exploit until it gets exploited. If this enclosure has been around for several years and never had an issue that indicated there was a means for a young child to get in, then I have a tougher time blaming the zoo.

Vehicle manufacturers are held to very strict safety standards to protect all occupants, by law. Zoos have many lives to protect, besides the animals they has agreed to protect and care for, the visitors are assured children are safe as well. Any person who deals with the public at large knows children can find a way to do the most stupid, dangerous, outrageous unbelievable things that just should not be able to be done. I don't care if in 30 years it has never happened before or not. If there is a way to enter that gorilla cage the Zoo had the trust of the public to assure their children are 100% protected from the animals getting out and kids getting in. I am sure the court will agree with that.

 

[farout]

Actually, it's both parents and zoo's responsibilities. Both failed. I'm sure there's signs all over the place about watching your kids, zoo dangers. Even at amusement parts. There are dangers, if parents don't do their job. A kid can get into dangerous places and get killed. That's why parents or guardians are there to watch them.

When a company or persons enter into a business of any kind certain assumptions are made for the public. Be it a zoo, church, public park play ground, or a place like Knots Berry Farm or Disney Land, there is a tremendous liability to protect all the public, no matter how old they are, supervised or unsupervised the publics safety is their responsibility 100%. This may seem unfair but that is a fact. If the mother was distracted for even 30 seconds, and that's all it takes, a child can run faster, climb higher, and jump farther than most people could believe. If you have never had children, you have no idea what I am saying.

those who designed the zoo somehow failed to get it right here. Sure the mom should have??? the Zoo should have//// but in the end who didn't block every possible way to enter the cage? This will become a legal issue, and the Zoo's insurance most likely will pay the child's hospital bills, and the Zoo may well face the consequences of not protecting the Gorilla from intrusion, resulting in the death of the Gorilla. They might have the loan of the other Gorilla's revoked. Time will tell.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

When a company or persons enter into a business of any kind certain assumptions are made for the public. Be it a zoo, church, public park play ground, or a place like Knots Berry Farm or Disney Land, there is a tremendous liability to protect all the public, no matter how old they are, supervised or unsupervised the publics safety is their responsibility 100%. This may seem unfair but that is a fact. If the mother was distracted for even 30 seconds, and that's all it takes, a child can run faster, climb higher, and jump farther than most people could believe. If you have never had children, you have no idea what I am saying.

those who designed the zoo somehow failed to get it right here. Sure the mom should have??? the Zoo should have//// but in the end who didn't block every possible way to enter the cage? This will become a legal issue, and the Zoo's insurance most likely will pay the child's hospital bills, and the Zoo may well face the consequences of not protecting the Gorilla from intrusion, resulting in the death of the Gorilla. They might have the loan of the other Gorilla's revoked. Time will tell.

That child could have been missing 20 minutes. She may have never noticed the child missing. If it wasn't for people screaming that a child fell into the gorilla area. And no. People are responsible to some degree, when their kids are in public. I'm sure there where many signs to keep an eye on your kids. I know when I've been to amusement areas and park. They have signs, so they aren't responsible for neglectful parents..

 

[Landon Caeli]

When a company or persons enter into a business of any kind certain assumptions are made for the public. Be it a zoo, church, public park play ground, or a place like Knots Berry Farm or Disney Land, there is a tremendous liability to protect all the public, no matter how old they are, supervised or unsupervised the publics safety is their responsibility 100%. This may seem unfair but that is a fact. If the mother was distracted for even 30 seconds, and that's all it takes, a child can run faster, climb higher, and jump farther than most people could believe. If you have never had children, you have no idea what I am saying.

those who designed the zoo somehow failed to get it right here. Sure the mom should have??? the Zoo should have//// but in the end who didn't block every possible way to enter the cage? This will become a legal issue, and the Zoo's insurance most likely will pay the child's hospital bills, and the Zoo may well face the consequences of not protecting the Gorilla from intrusion, resulting in the death of the Gorilla. They might have the loan of the other Gorilla's revoked. Time will tell.

I was just at disneyland yesterday, and they have staff spread so thick that it would be very hard to get into trouble. Also, I can't imagine disneyland having open barriers near pinchpoints around rides, where little children can get crushed. Rather, they have proper barriers.

 

[Uncle Siggy]

Why?

Somebody/something has got to be a/the victim, it seems to be required nowadays...

 

[ChristsSoldier115]

I wonder how much a gorilla costs because I think that couple should be sued by the zoo for the price of that gorilla.

 

[Julie.S]

I wonder how much a gorilla costs because I think that couple should be sued by the zoo for the price of that gorilla.

I think the couple should at least have to contribute some money perhaps not pay for the whole thing. Both parties need to pay each other for some damages at least. No one can walk away from this without giving something in my mind.

 

[Meowzltov]

I somehow have never felt much sympathy for alligators. They just look evil.

An alligator doesn't have the amount of sentience that a gorilla does.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

Thank God, toddlers' bones bounce instead of break.

Hubby and I were just talking about that yesterday. There's a BIG hill from the top of our water tower area down to the park area. There's a paved path. Our littles LOVE either running full tilt down that hill, or riding their bikes all helter skelter down that hill. I freak out, because I'm THAT mom, but I let them do it, because that's how I lived as a kid. Kinda free. Sure, I had bumps and bruises, but I believe kids' bodies are more resilient for that very reason.

If I fell down that hill now, well...I don't know that I would require hip surgery or something that drastic, but I AM the 42 year old woman who severely tore her calf muscle WALKING home from work!

I reckon, in one hundred years time, people will regard zoos as something that should never have existed.

Some of the shouldn't exist now. Some do a very good job. Some do an okay job.

I was never overly impressed with the Cincinnati zoo, but I'm pretty sure that's because I was so sick the day we visited it. I did not have a good time, and it was so crowded I couldn't see much of anything.

It says the cage was made to keep gorillas in their enclosure. Which it did just fine.

It's the parent's job to keep their kids out of the enclosures.

Yes, and yes, however, as I keep harping about with this story, we call them tragic accidents for a reason.

That child could have been missing 20 minutes. She may have never noticed the child missing. If it wasn't for people screaming that a child fell into the gorilla area. And no. People are responsible to some degree, when their kids are in public. I'm sure there where many signs to keep an eye on your kids. I know when I've been to amusement areas and park. They have signs, so they aren't responsible for neglectful parents..

NO. The child wasn't missing for more than a few minutes, seconds even, before the mom was calling for him.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/cincinnati-zoo-eyewitness-defends-mum-8083156

I ran off as a kid when we were at Kings Island. I was 7, maybe 8, I don't recall. Holy carp, the trouble I could've gotten into. The only difference between my parents and this mom is that my Houdini stunt didn't become a public spectacle. But it so easily could have. And my parents were practically helicopter parents.

 

[smaneck]

Hubby and I were just talking about that yesterday. There's a BIG hill from the top of our water tower area down to the park area. There's a paved path. Our littles LOVE either running full tilt down that hill, or riding their bikes all helter skelter down that hill. I freak out, because I'm THAT mom, but I let them do it, because that's how I lived as a kid. Kinda free. Sure, I had bumps and bruises, but I believe kids' bodies are more resilient for that very reason.

I knew a three year old who got run over by his parents car when it was pulling out of the drive way. The kid walked, rather ran away afterwards. I'm sixty. I think a fifteen foot fall might have killed me.