The Student Room Group

Why are people so upset about this harambes killing?

Why are people going so mental about this stupid gorrilla being killed. The fact is if it hadn't been killed it would have killed a 4 year old which surprisingly a lot of people seem to be ok with. This reminds me exactly of cecil the lion. I will never understand why westerners seem to think vicious animals are cuddly pets just because someone gave them a name and started a twitter hashtag about them.

First of all millions of animals are killed every day to give you mcdonalds or KFC and none of you seem to care about that. Secondly people who actually live in countries with these animals know how vicious they are so don't care if they are killed. Why people seem to think animal life is equal to human life is beyond me.

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
I agree, he may not have killed the boy, but if he had then all those moaning about the gorilla being shot would be moaning that the zoo keepers did nothing to save the boy. You can't win.
Human lives are worth just as much as any other animal's.

It just seemed like a very avoidable incident.
What took place is standard procedure in most zoos
Reply 4
Original post by BristolFresher15
Human lives are worth just as much as any other animal's.


I suspect you're in the minority believing that, because it's patently absurd.


Original post by BristolFresher15
It just seemed like a very avoidable incident.


Yes, I agree, it was the parents' fault that the incident occurred and they should be sued by the zoo for the loss of their attraction.

But once the boy was in danger what were the zoo keepers supposed to do? Stand there and potentially watch an innocent 4 year old get torn to shreds? I suspect they would have got much more flak if that had happened.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 5
Nobody would have blamed the gorilla, but they would have blamed the zoo keepers for not acting.
Original post by James82
I suspect you're in the minority believing that, because it's patently absurd.

Yes, I agree it was the parents fault that the incident occurred and they should be sued by the zoo for the loss of their attraction.

But once the boy was in danger what were the zoo keepers supposed to do? Stand there and potentially watch an innocent 4 year old get torn to shreds? I suspect they would have got much more flak if that had happened.


How is it absurd? What makes us different?

And yes, once progressed, there were very few options. But the boy being able to access the moat undetected is what most people are unhappy about.
Reply 7
Yes it is rather funny which things people pick to get upset over out of the multitude of events that don't affect them at all
That's lovely and everything but I bet if your sister/brother/mother had fallen into the enclosure, you won't be telling the zookeeper to hold fire.
Reply 9
Original post by BristolFresher15
How is it absurd? What makes us different?


Nothing makes us different, the gorilla population would be on the side of the gorilla in this situation, but as a human it is a natural instinct to value your species above all others.

Original post by BristolFresher15
And yes, once progressed, there were very few options. But the boy being able to access the moat undetected is what most people are unhappy about.


I fully agree, which is why the parents are to blame for not keeping their child safe.

Don't get me wrong, if this had been a competent adult who purposely entered the enclosure I would be all for the gorilla.
And rightly so.
Original post by intelligent con
Why are people going so mental about this stupid gorrilla being killed. The fact is if it hadn't been killed it would have killed a 4 year old which surprisingly a lot of people seem to be ok with. This reminds me exactly of cecil the lion. I will never understand why westerners seem to think vicious animals are cuddly pets just because someone gave them a name and started a twitter hashtag about them.

First of all millions of animals are killed every day to give you mcdonalds or KFC and none of you seem to care about that. Secondly people who actually live in countries with these animals know how vicious they are so don't care if they are killed. Why people seem to think animal life is equal to human life is beyond me.


The bastards would not be saying this if it was THEM in there with Gorilla or if it was their child. Lets round them up, throw them into gorilla cages and see how they feel.... :rolleyes:

Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by BristolFresher15
Human lives are worth just as much as any other animal's.

It just seemed like a very avoidable incident.


How do you measure value? What perspective are you looking from?
i guess the blame can be put on the zoo and the mum because the mother should've been looking after her FOUR YEAR OLD son anyway, so even though it must be difficult for her almost losing her son and being attacked by all these strangers on the internet, she had it coming... But the zoo should've enforced better safety because if a four year old kid can easily get into a gorilla enclosure then something's not right..
You can't compare this to Cecil the Lion, the child was not hunting the gorilla for sport. This was just HUMAN error and the poor endangered species of gorilla had to pay the price. It's the Zoo's fault, there should have been no way a child could get into the enclosure. :frown:
Whether your relatives are careful and sensible or not is a moot point. In the hypothetical situation where the event has occurred, you probably will not let them be ripped to shreds by a 200kg gorilla.

I'm disappointed as much as you are that they killed the gorilla but saying that they should have left the kid to possibly die is hypocritical unless you consider the same for your friends and family.
Original post by nineteenone
i guess the blame can be put on the zoo and the mum because the mother should've been looking after her FOUR YEAR OLD son anyway, so even though it must be difficult for her almost losing her son and being attacked by all these strangers on the internet, she had it coming... But the zoo should've enforced better safety because if a four year old kid can easily get into a gorilla enclosure then something's not right..


Where is your source that the child got into the enclosure "easily"? If this is true then obviously the zoo shares some of the blame, but still the mum is the one at most fault for not taking care of her four year old son.
Original post by James82
I suspect you're in the minority believing that, because it's patently absurd.




Yes, I agree, it was the parents' fault that the incident occurred and they should be sued by the zoo for the loss of their attraction.

But once the boy was in danger what were the zoo keepers supposed to do? Stand there and potentially watch an innocent 4 year old get torn to shreds? I suspect they would have got much more flak if that had happened.


Bring tranquilizers?
Original post by James82
Where is your source that the child got into the enclosure "easily"? If this is true then obviously the zoo shares some of the blame, but still the mum is the one at most fault for not taking care of her four year old son.



Well, considering he's 4, it mustn't have been that hard for him to get into the enclosure so either there wasn't enough safety put into place, or there was an easy way in. But I do agree with you that the mum is most at fault. If she had been looking after her son properly, none of this would've happened.
Original post by champ_mc99
Bring tranquilizers?


As stated by the zoo director the tranquillisers may not have acted quickly enough and may have caused the gorilla to become more disoriented and harm the boy. Why take that risk?

Quick Reply