The boy was hurt from the 12 feet fall but was still conscious. The endangered gorilla approached the child who fell into the moat which was surrounding the habitat and grabbed him. Without any serious injuries the child’s life was still very much threatened. The zoo’s dangerous animal response team quickly evaluated the life-threatening situation and was forced to take the only reasonable solution according to Cincinnati Zoo Director Thane Maynard: “The choice was made to put down, or shoot, Harambe, so he’s gone”
Harambe, born at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas, was accompanied in the enclosure by two other female gorillas at the time of the incident. Cincinnati Zoo officials brought the Western lowland gorillas back in 2014. They hoped to use the male gorilla for breeding to help protect their well known endangered species.
