Gorilla grabs child who"s fallen into habitat in Cincinnati Zoo
A close call. A seriously injured 4-year-old boy is expected to recover after he fell into a gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo on Saturday, May 28.
PHOTOS: Celebrity Deaths in 2016: Stars Weve LostThe unidentified child crawled through a barrier at Gorilla World on Saturday afternoon before falling about 10 to 12 feet into a moat, according to ABC News. He was then picked up and dragged around by a 400-pound, 17-year-old male gorilla named Harambe for about 10 minutes as onlookers screamed for help.
Harambe, a gorilla from the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden/Facebook PHOTOS: Celebrity Animal CharitiesAfter determining that the situation was life-threatening, a zoo employee shot and killed the gorilla. According to a statement on the parks website, the security teams quick response saved the childs life. We are all devastated that his tragic accident resulted in the death of a critically-endangered gorilla. This is a huge loss for the Zoo family and the gorilla population worldwide.
The Cincinnati Zoos response team decided against using a tranquilizer dart on the gorilla as it wouldve taken effect too slowly, according to CNN.
PHOTOS: Celebrities and Their PetsThe 4-year-old boy was immediately transported to Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center, where it was determined that his injuries were non-life-threatening, according tolocal reports.
Harambe, a western lowland gorilla, celebrated his 17th birthday just one day before the incident. The average lifespan of a gorilla in the wild is 35 years, according to National Geographic. The endangered species is mainly herbivorous.
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Source: http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/cincinnati-zoo-kills-gorilla-to-save-4-year-old-in-danger-w208193
