UKC

This is the second instance of a majestic animal being destroyed because of acts of stupidity by humans. Not many days ago an idiot in South America stripped naked and jumped into the lion enclosure in an apparent suicide bid. The lion did what their instinct decreed and mauled him so it was shot.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/29/ohio-zoo-kills-gorilla-to-protec...


Now a parent apparently fails to control a child who finds his way into the gorilla pen. I have read suggestions, however, that in this instance the gorilla acted protectively towards the child but was still shot.

No doubt there are all sorts of arguments for and against destroying the animal in such cases but I do feel sympathy for them in that they were killed merely for acting as nature intended.

In reply to FesteringSore:




It's hard not to feel sympathy for the Gorilla. The Zoo has said it's policy is to protect human life at all costs even if it means killing the prize exhibits. I suppose that's meant to be reassuring for the Zoo going general public but it's hardly fair that idiotic humans don't have to take responsibility for their own stupid actions.

In reply to FesteringSore:

I tend to agree. As a life member at Chester Zoo we go regularly with our little girl. If she managed to get into one of the enclosures we would have nobody to blame but ourselves.

It's heartbreaking to see stupidity lead to this animal being shot dead.

In reply to FesteringSore:

A very saddening story. It looked like the gorilla was protecting the child too.

In reply to Gone for good:

>The Zoo has said it's policy is to protect human life at all costs

But not, apparently, the cost of building a fence around the exhibit that could keep a small child out?

In reply to Rampikino:

I think it is more relevant whether the child deserved to be mauled to death rather than whether the parents deserved to have their child dead.

In reply to Yanis Nayu:


There was an expert on primate behaviour on the radio saying that there is really no way of knowing.

In reply to FesteringSore:


What???

A man who was mentally ill decides to get naked and commit suicide by being eaten by lions. So your saying he should be allowed to be eaten? What next sell tickets?

The fact that a young boy can find a way to fall into an animal enclosure says more about the Zoo's poor design than an incompetent parent.

In reply to Robert Durran:

None of that is what I was saying.

In reply to Indy:

So the destruction of the animals is justified?

In reply to FesteringSore:

Yes.

In reply to FesteringSore:

By contrast, a rather refreshing Australian view

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/may/30/mp-warren-entsch-blam...

In terms of victim-blaming, you can't really beat 'if you go into the water at 10 pm, you're going to get consumed.'

jcm