ENDANGERED SILVER BACK KILLED, WHO'S AT FAULT

[Cowboy_Ken]

What am I concerned about here? While this tread has been active and taking place, here in the states, we've had a human child get through the containment barriers and fall into an endangered gray back gorilla enclosure. The child was taken in possession by this gorilla which resulted in zookeepers making the decision of killing/dispatching the gorilla.
All of this, I'm sure, is just review. Now please understand that this forum is the extent of my "social network" on the Internet Machine. I don't participate in The Facebook or any of those other hip and trendy. All of that said, if heard many points of view in regard to who is at fault here. Distracted parents? Zookeepers acting too quickly without consideration? On and on it goes.
My question concerning all of this is simple so it seems to me. Why was the barrier so wimpy that this kid was able to bypass it in the first place? Are the parents to blame that the zoo focus was towards containment of the animals verses protection of the humans from them-
selves? I don't know, I'd be concerned about two way protection.
That is all. Thank you for your time.

 

[mark1]

we need to fence in all the roadways , cliffs and ravines in our parks , the upper decks at stadiums should have a fence with barb wire on top instead of that 2 foot barrier that idiots and drunks fall over quite often ........ the cleveland zoos gorillas have the same type of barrier as the cincinnati zoo does if you want to step over the the fence , go through the bushes and jump down 20 feet , you too could find yourself face to face with a gorilla .......... well the cleveland zoo has had near 30,000,000 visitors over the last 20 years , i'd imagine the cincinitti zoo has had at least that , and one mom doesn't realize they're standing next to a 20 foot dropoff , "accidents happen" , i think that used to be called natural selection ............ well , we also need to warn folks that the hot coffee they just bought is hot ........... i can't imagine what this world is coming too , a complete lack of responsibility , it's always someone elses fault ...........

 

[Jodie]

I think zoos struggle with providing a safe enclosure that allows viewing the animals. It was a serious drop. This zoo has had no other accidents. They will undoubtedly put up better barriers, so future visitors will not be able to see the gorillas as well.
I blame the parents 100 percent. Obviously a child's life has to be saved. I have seen the videos, and while I don't know gorillas, the zoo had to save the child. No risks can be taken.The parents who let this happen on the other hand disgust me. They could be fed to the lions in my opinion. A zoo is not the place to let your child run a muck.

 

[Rue]

You can only go so far to protect people from themselves. This is not the zoo's fault and I hope they don't have to make anything 'more secure' than it is.

I would make the parents buy a new gorilla for the exhibit. While I'm being a bit facetious, that might actually send a message...the pocketbook speaks loudly...

 

[dmmj]

kids climbing into gorilla cages, kids running amuck in restaurants and yelling talking in the movie theaters and crying I think it's all the same problem. Parents!

 

[Tom]

we need to fence in all the roadways , cliffs and ravines in our parks , the upper decks at stadiums should have a fence with barb wire on top instead of that 2 foot barrier that idiots and drunks fall over quite often ........ the cleveland zoos gorillas have the same type of barrier as the cincinnati zoo does if you want to step over the the fence , go through the bushes and jump down 20 feet , you too could find yourself face to face with a gorilla .......... well the cleveland zoo has had near 30,000,000 visitors over the last 20 years , i'd imagine the cincinitti zoo has had at least that , and one mom doesn't realize they're standing next to a 20 foot dropoff , "accidents happen" , i think that used to be called natural selection ............ well , we also need to warn folks that the hot coffee they just bought is hot ........... i can't imagine what this world is coming too , a complete lack of responsibility , it's always someone elses fault ...........

You make a good point, and to a degree, I agree with you.

However, please consider this. Cliffs and ravines are naturally occurring things, not man-made constructs. Putting a bunch of potentially dangerous animals all in one place and then charging money for public viewing requires some degree of responsibility on the part of the facility. Should we just drop a black mamba in the middle of a crowd so they can all check it out, and assume that everyone knows to keep their distance? Should the crocs be kept in a normal park style pool because everyone knows not to wade into a croc pool, right? There is a difference between encountering a rattle snake on a hike in the wild, and a person putting a rattlesnake in your bed. I don't suggest we fence off every venomous snake on the planet, and if someone puts a venomous snake in my house, they are responsible for what happens.

Sure, any barrier can be overcome by a determined individual, but what is debatable here is that a toddler easily penetrated the barriers at this zoo in a matter of seconds. Do they not have any responsibility to protect the public from their animals and their animals from the public? I think they have some responsibility, and given what happened, they did not meet their level of responsibility. Its one thing if an agile teenager hops a fence. Its a different thing entirely when a very young child can simply toddle into a 20 foot drop into a gorilla enclosure the moment an inattentive parent turns their back.

Ultimately though, I do blame the parents. There is not a parent alive, myself included, who does not have moments of inattention. Lucky for me, nothing catastrophic happened during my inattentive moments. But something could have. If catastrophe had struck at one of those moments for me, the consequences would certainly be my fault.

I don't see any denying dual responsibility in this case. The parent should have been paying closer attention, but the zoo should have also had a better barrier. Sadly, the gorilla is the one who had to suffer the consequences of humans learning these lessons.

 

[Yvonne G]

The mother was busy taking selfies. She's at fault for not watching the kid. I had three kids only 10 or 11 months apart, so I had three toddlers all at the same time. I have personal experience. You have to watch them every minute when you're out and about.

 

[Gillian M]

The parents' fault obviously; mother/father/both.

 

[GRohr]

From what I remember reading the zoo not only met the safety requirements but exceeded them for the gorilla enclosure in their last inspection. Could a zoo make everything 100% safe, mostly likely, but i am sure it would make it less enjoyable. I personally hate looking through netting or chain link fences, especially when trying to take a picture. Sure glass helps but I don't think i have ever made a trip without kids banging on the glass to get the animal's attention. Plus, in the end, the zoo has to make money in order to stay open so they have to make it enjoyable for people.

I am sure being a parent is hard and takes a lot of attention to keep track of your kids but when going into a place like a zoo, I feel that the parents just have to pay 100% attention to your kids the entire time. I remember when i was young my parents would make me keep one of my hands in one of their pockets at all times.

Toddlers just don't have any fear yet, nor do they understand the dangers that they put themselves into. I remember as a little kid if my parents looked away for 10 seconds while gardening I would be instantly 30 ft into our oak tree even after my dad cut all the low branches off trying to keep me out of it. This is why as a parent you just have to be responsible when taking your kids out into a place that could be dangerous for them. So in the end, i do think that the mother is 100% responsible for what happened. I sure hope she feels horrible about it and I do hope they make her give something back to the zoo in order to make things at least a little bit right.

 

[Yvonne G]

...... So in the end, i do think that the mother is 100% responsible for what happened. I sure hope she feels horrible about it and I do hope they make her give something back to the zoo in order to make things at least a little bit right.

I read that she's considering suing the zoo.

 

[lisa127]

You make a good point, and to a degree, I agree with you.

However, please consider this. Cliffs and ravines are naturally occurring things, not man-made constructs. Putting a bunch of potentially dangerous animals all in one place and then charging money for public viewing requires some degree of responsibility on the part of the facility. Should we just drop a black mamba in the middle of a crowd so they can all check it out, and assume that everyone knows to keep their distance? Should the crocs be kept in a normal park style pool because everyone knows not to wade into a croc pool, right? There is a difference between encountering a rattle snake on a hike in the wild, and a person putting a rattlesnake in your bed. I don't suggest we fence off every venomous snake on the planet, and if someone puts a venomous snake in my house, they are responsible for what happens.

Sure, any barrier can be overcome by a determined individual, but what is debatable here is that a toddler easily penetrated the barriers at this zoo in a matter of seconds. Do they not have any responsibility to protect the public from their animals and their animals from the public? I think they have some responsibility, and given what happened, they did not meet their level of responsibility. Its one thing if an agile teenager hops a fence. Its a different thing entirely when a very young child can simply toddle into a 20 foot drop into a gorilla enclosure the moment an inattentive parent turns their back.

Ultimately though, I do blame the parents. There is not a parent alive, myself included, who does not have moments of inattention. Lucky for me, nothing catastrophic happened during my inattentive moments. But something could have. If catastrophe had struck at one of those moments for me, the consequences would certainly be my fault.

I don't see any denying dual responsibility in this case. The parent should have been paying closer attention, but the zoo should have also had a better barrier. Sadly, the gorilla is the one who had to suffer the consequences of humans learning these lessons.

I am in 100% agreement with Tom. Dual responsibility, no doubt!

Are the parents partially at fault? Of course. But I will not judge beyond that or say what "should" happen to the parents. Not until I'm a 100% perfect parent.

Zoo enclosures should 100% prohibit even the most remote possibility of someone getting in as well. Or don't have zoos.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

@ Yvonne G , thank you for the thread creation.

 

[Jodie]

I read that she's considering suing the zoo.

No doubt, and she will probably win. Our society no longer holds individuals responsible. It is the zoos responsibility to keep the idiotic, and careless safe.

 

[dmmj]

if you own a trampoline on your property have to get idiot insurance. A lawsuot is coming just a matter of when.

 

[wellington]

I am in 100% agreement with Tom. Dual responsibility, no doubt!

Are the parents partially at fault? Of course. But I will not judge beyond that or say what "should" happen to the parents. Not until I'm a 100% perfect parent.

Zoo enclosures should 100% prohibit even the most remote possibility of someone getting in as well. Or don't have zoos.

There is no and never will be a perfect parent. Common sense would do a lot of parents and people in general a whole lot of good.

 

[wellington]

This is the parents fault and only their fault. You know your walking into a Zoo. You know there are a lot of possible danger areas at a Zoo and a lot of dangerous people at the Zoo, waiting for the idiot not paying attention to their child. This child wasn't of age where you drop the reins and let him/her go on their own. This was a toddler that the should of had ahold of at all times whether holding his hand, or in a stroller/wagon. If they were in an open area, like a picnic type area, then you can loosen the grip, as long as you still keep one eye always on them. Yes, I screwed up once, yes it only takes one time of your heart sinking and your brain thinking the worst to learn a lesson. Luckily for me, it was a panic of only seconds and nothing bad happened. Had something happened though, it would have been totally my fault, no matter what the situation was. This country is getting filled with sue happy, lazy parents, who has a stupid phone perminently suck to their faces!

 

[wellington]

Btw, had the gorilla gotten out, then it would be 100% the Zoos fault!

 

[Tom]

This is the parents fault and only their fault. You know your walking into a Zoo. You know there are a lot of possible danger areas at a Zoo and a lot of dangerous people at the Zoo...

So you would be fine if a zoo just had a tiger staked out in the middle of a field with no cage or barrier of any kind, because people are supposed to watch their kids?

You don't think there should be any sort of barrier, or impediment to access, because all people should just know better at all times?

You don't have any problem with the zoo for having a protective barrier insufficient to stop a little toddler?

 

[Yvonne G]

There actually was a barrier. Just not a child-proof barrier.

 

[wellington]

So you would be fine if a zoo just had a tiger staked out in the middle of a field with no cage or barrier of any kind, because people are supposed to watch their kids?

You don't think there should be any sort of barrier, or impediment to access, because all people should just know better at all times?

You don't have any problem with the zoo for having a protective barrier insufficient to stop a little toddler?

I would have a problem with a Zoo that staked out an animal, yes. Not because there was no barrier, but because it shouldn't be staked out. There was a barrier. The barrier was good enough for anyone that was doing what they were suppose to be doing! I'm sick of parents/people now days being so lacking in common sense. Really, do they need to be told to watch their kids, the coffees hot, small items could be a choking hazard, duh. If I have a fence around my tortoises and someone walks in my yard to see them and decides to go further into the torts area and gets hurt, guess what, the fence was there for a reason and common sense should be enough. Fences and barriers have only two meanings in my book.
1- to keep my (zoo) stuff in!
2-to keep everyone out!
If your not in, then that means you stay out!
Kids of this boys age, might not be able to see or read the do not climb, etc signs. Plus, they just need to be watched at all times! Parents and humans in general needs to stop pointing fingers, cuz when you do, there's four of those figures pointing right back at ya, the person who is to blame!