{{pp-vandalism|expiry=03:09, 18 August 2016|small=yes}}
{{infobox news event
| title =Killing of Harambe
| image =
| image_name =Harambe with boy.jpg
| caption = Harambe grabbed and dragged the boy after he fell into the moat; officials feared for the child's life.
| date = {{start date|2016|5|28}}
| time = 4:00 p.m. EDT
| place = [[Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden]]
| coordinates = {{Coord|39.144684|N|84.510079|W|display=inline,title|type:landmark_source:Googlemaps_scale:5000}}
| also known as =
| cause = Gunshot
| first reporter =
| filmed by =
| outcome =
| burial = Body donated to science
| inquiries =
| inquest =
| coroner =
| suspects =
| charges =
| verdict =
| convictions =
| publication bans =
| litigation =
| awards =
| website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
| notes =
}}
On May 28, 2016, a three-year-old boy climbed into a gorilla enclosure at the [[Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden]] and was grabbed and dragged by Harambe, a 17-year-old [[Western lowland gorilla]]. Fearing for the boy's life, a zoo worker shot and killed Harambe. The incident was recorded on video and received broad international coverage and commentary, including controversy over the choice to kill Harambe. [[Jane Goodall]], a leading [[primatologist]] and conservationist, believed the killing was justified under the circumstances, and that it highlighted the danger of zoo animals in close proximity to humans and the need for better standards of care.
==Harambe==
Harambe was born at the [[Gladys Porter Zoo]] in [[Brownsville, Texas]] on May 27, 1999. He was named by Dan Van Coppenolle after the 1988 [[Shanachie Records]] song "Harambe (Working Together for Freedom)" by [[Rita Marley]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/31/opinions/harambe-death-meaning-coppenolle/index.html|title=The real lesson of Harambe|first=Dan Van|last=Coppenolle|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KIMXGElC7Q|title=Announcing the name of a baby lowland gorilla, "Harambe"|first=|last=Bigfoot Journeys|date=27 January 2014|publisher=|via=YouTube}}</ref>
On September 18, 2014, Harambe was transferred to the [[Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden]] to learn adult gorilla behavior and join a new social group.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county/cincinnati/silverback-gorilla-comes-to-cincinnati-zoo-for-spring-training|title=Cincinnati Zoo gets silverback gorilla Harambe for 'spring training'|first=WCPO|last=Staff|date=14 April 2015|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://cincinnatizoo.org/blog/2015/04/14/new-rookie-silverback-in-gorilla-world-for-spring-training/|title=New Rookie Silverback in Gorilla World for Spring Training - The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden|date=14 April 2015|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/gladysporterzoo/photos/a.408296022454.193125.60684157454/10152273789327455/?type=1&theater|title=With a mixture of sad and happy... - Gladys Porter Zoo - Facebook|publisher=}}</ref>
Harambe was killed one day after his 17th birthday.<ref name=hall/> At the time of his death, he weighed {{convert|440|lb}}.
==Incident==
On May 28, 2016, a three-year-old<ref>{{cite web|url=http://heavy.com/news/2016/05/michelle-gregg-cincinnati-zoo-mother-mom-name-gorilla-harambe-facebook-photos-son-petition/|title=Michelle Gregg: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know|first=Tom|last=Cleary|date=30 May 2016|work=heavy.com|accessdate=20 July 2016 |quote=The boy, named Isaiah, was originally reported to be 4, but police said Tuesday he is actually 3. He turns 4 in December.}}</ref> boy visiting the Cincinnati Zoo fell into the moat at the Gorilla World habitat.<ref name=howboygotin/> Witnesses claim they heard the child say he wanted to go into the gorilla enclosure.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/mum-boy-who-fell-gorilla-8080846 |title=Mum of boy who fell into gorilla zoo enclosure blasts critics saying 'accidents happen' |work=Mirror |author=John Shammas |date=May 30, 2016 |accessdate=June 20, 2016}}</ref> The boy then climbed a three-foot-tall fence, crawled through four feet of bushes and then fell fifteen feet into a moat of shallow water.<ref name=howboygotin/> Zoo officials immediately signaled for the three gorillas in the habitat to return inside, and two females did so.<ref name=howboygotin/> However the third gorilla, the inquisitive 440-pound male silverback, Harambe, climbed down into the moat to investigate the child splashing in the water.<ref name=howboygotin/> Over the next 10 minutes, Harambe became increasingly "agitated and disoriented" by the screams of onlookers.<ref name=hall>{{cite web |url=http://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-gorilla-killing-20160531-snap-story.html |title=Lesson of the Cincinnati gorilla killing: The zoo is not a playground |work=[[LA Times]] |author=Carla Hall |date=May 31, 2016 |accessdate=June 20, 2016}}</ref><ref name=angier/> He dragged the child through the water, occasionally propping him up when he sat, or pushing him down when he stood.<ref name=hall/> Harambe exhibited "strutting" behavior - walking around with legs and arms stiffly extended to appear bigger - a bluffing move, though one with inherent danger should he throw or drag the boy around too roughly.<ref name=angier/> Harambe then carried the boy up a ladder out of the moat onto dry land.<ref name=howboygotin/> Afraid for the boy's life, zoo officials made the decision to kill Harambe, doing so with a single gunshot.<ref name=howboygotin/> Cincinnati firefighters said the boy was between Harambe's legs at the time the shot was fired.<ref name=howboygotin>{{cite web |url=http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2016/05/29/boy-who-fell-into-zoo-gorilla-exhibit-out-hospital/85131108/ |title=How boy got into gorilla enclosure |work=Cincinnati.com |agency=USA Today|author=Cameron Knight |date=June 1, 2016 |accessdate=June 20, 2016 |quote=a 3-year-old boy dropped into the Gorilla World exhibit}}</ref>
==Reactions==
The shooting was controversial,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/zoo-faces-backlash-over-decision-to-shoot-gorilla-dead-after-boy-4-fell-into-enclosure-a3259326.html|title=Zoo faces backlash over decision to shoot gorilla dead after boy, 4, fell into enclosure|date=May 29, 2016|work=Evening Standard|accessdate=May 30, 2016}}</ref> with some observers stating that it was unclear whether Harambe was likely to harm the child.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/killed-gorilla-seemed-protect-child-who-fell-enclosure-witness-n582311|title=Killed Gorilla Seemed to Protect Child Who Fell in Enclosure: Witness|work=NBC News|accessdate=May 30, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/technology/science/animals/animal-behaviour-expert-says-silverback-gorilla-harambe-was-not-trying-to-harm-defenceless-child/news-story/94d83332fbb86df234989f66ae621d67|title=Gorilla shot dead in zoo: Killing unnecessary, primate expert says - Video|date=May 30, 2016|work=NewsComAu|accessdate=May 30, 2016}}</ref> Others called for the boy's parents or the zoo to be held accountable for the gorilla's death.<ref>{{cite news | last=Grinberg | first=Emanuella | title=Critics blame parents, Cincinnati Zoo for gorilla's death | website=CNN | date=2016-05-29 | url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/29/us/cincinnati-zoo-gorilla-shot/index.html | accessdate=2016-05-31}}</ref> Zoo director [[Thane Maynard]] stated, "The child was being dragged around ... His head was banging on concrete. This was not a gentle thing. The child was at risk."<ref name="McPhateGorillaZoo">{{cite news|last1=McPhate|first1=Kate|title=Zoo’s Killing of Gorilla Holding a Boy Prompts Outrage|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/31/us/zoos-killing-of-gorilla-holding-a-boy-prompts-outrage.html?_r=0|accessdate=May 31, 2016|publisher=New York Times|date=May 30, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/28/us/zoo-kills-gorilla/index.html|title=Gorilla shot to save child at Cincinnati zoo|last1=Ralph|first1=Ellis|first2=Rashard|last2=Rose|date=May 29, 2016|work=CNN|accessdate=May 30, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/30/us/gorilla-killed-after-child-enters-enclosure-at-cincinnati-zoo.html|title=Gorilla Killed After Child Enters Enclosure at Cincinnati Zoo|date=May 30, 2016|work=The New York Times|accessdate=May 30, 2016}}</ref> Police investigated possible criminal charges against the parents, while the parents defended the zoo's actions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/us-ohio-gorilla-idUSKCN0YM1XH|title=Gorilla killing at Cincinnati zoo sparks probe into possible criminal charges|work=Reuters}}</ref><ref name="mirror">{{cite web|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/astonishing-new-footage-shows-gorilla-8082168|title=Astonishing new footage shows gorilla 'PROTECTING' boy and holding his hand before being shot dead|author=John Shammas|date=1 June 2016}}</ref> The boy's mother became the target of [[online shaming]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/2734588/harambes-death-is-the-parent-shaming-over-gorillas-death-going-overboard/|title=Harambe’s death: Is the parent-shaming over gorilla’s death going overboard?|first=Carmen|last=Chai|publisher=}}</ref> On June 6, 2016, Ohio prosecutor Joseph Deters said that the mother would not face any charges of wrongdoing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/06/us/harambe-gorilla-death-investigation/index.html|title=Gorilla killing: 3-year-old boy's mother won't be charged|first=Madison Park and Holly Yan|last=CNN|publisher=}}</ref> The zoo was investigated by the [[Association of Zoos and Aquariums]] (AZA), which sets the standards for zoos, and the [[USDA]].<ref name=ifawgoodall/>
The incident was recorded by a bystander and uploaded to [[YouTube]], where the video went [[viral video|viral]].<ref>{{youtube|id=Zfuz7cTDNeI|title=Cincinnati zoo kills gorilla to save boy who fell into enclosure}}</ref> The incident received global publicity and received criticism from several high-profile celebrities, including [[Ricky Gervais]], [[Brian May]], and [[Piers Morgan]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/31/ricky-gervais-joins-backlash-over-shooting-of-harambe-the-gorill/ |title=Celebrities joins backlash over shooting of Harambe the gorilla - but Ohio zoo defends decision |work=Daily Telegraph |author=Chris Graham |date=May 31, 2016 |accessdate=May 31, 2016}}</ref> [[Donald Trump]] said it was "too bad there wasn’t another way".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://time.com/4352497/donald-trump-cincinnati-zoo-harambe-gorilla/ |title=Donald Trump Defends Cincinnati Zoo’s Shooting of Harambe the Gorilla |work=Time |author=Eliana Dockterman |date=May 31, 2016 |accessdate=May 31, 2016}}</ref>
The killing sparked debate among biologists and primatologists on whether gorillas and other primates should be held in captivity at all.<ref name=angier>{{cite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/07/science/gorilla-shot-harambe-zoo.html |title=Do Gorillas Even Belong in Zoos? Harambe’s Death Spurs Debate |work=New York Times |author=Natalie Angier |date=June 6, 2016 |accessdate=June 20, 2016}}</ref> Primatologist Jane Goodall said that according to the video it seemed Harambe was trying to protect the child.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Goodall|first1=Jane|title=Memo RE: Shooting of Harambe at Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens|url=http://www.janegoodall.org/wp-content/uploads/2796_001.pdf|website=janegoodall.org|publisher=The Jane Goodall Institute|accessdate=16 June 2016}}</ref> Goodall later issued a longer explanation on her website, concluding that Harambe needed to be killed,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/jane-goodall-says-zoo-kill-123607251.html?nhp=1 |title=Jane Goodall Says Zoo Was Right to Kill Harambe the Gorilla |work=[[Yahoo! News]] |agency=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |author=Melissa Chan |date=June 20, 2016 |accessdate=June 20, 2016}}</ref> saying "It was awful for the child, the parents, Harambe, the zoo, the keepers and the public. But when people come into contact with wild animals, life and death decisions sometimes have to be made."<ref name=ifawgoodall>{{cite web |url=http://www.ifaw.org/united-states/news/jane-goodall-azzedine-downes-together-offer-thoughts-tragic-harambe-killing |title=Jane Goodall, Azzedine Downes together offer thoughts on tragic Harambe killing |work=[[International Fund for Animal Welfare]] |author=[[Jane Goodall]] |date=June 19, 2016 |accessdate=June 20, 2016}}</ref> Goodall said that as long as humans and wild animals are kept in close proximity in zoos, there is no way to prevent accidents from happening, but she believed that zoos "with the highest standards of care" could play an important role.<ref name=ifawgoodall/> Zookeeper [[Jack Hanna]] strongly defended the zoo's actions as the "correct decision", noting that a transquilizer dart might have taken five or ten minutes to take effect and could have aggravated Harambe further.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/nation-now/2016/05/31/jack-hanna-zookeeper-knoxville-cincinnati-zoo-gorilla-killed/85181272/|title=Jack Hanna defends Cincinnati Zoo's decision to kill gorilla|work=usatoday.com|accessdate=3 August 2016}}</ref>
== See also ==
{{portal|Animal rights}}
* [[Binti Jua]]
* [[Jambo]]
* [[Killing of Cecil the lion]]
* [[Tatiana the Tiger]]
== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}
== External links ==
* [http://www.riosmith.net/Zooindex.html Photos of Harambe at Gladys Porter Zoo]
[[Category:2016 controversies]]
[[Category:Deaths by firearm in Ohio]]
[[Category:Primatology]]
[[Category:2016 animal deaths|Harambe]]
[[Category:21st-century controversies in the United States]]
[[Category:May 2016 events]]
[[Category:2016 in Ohio]]