Harambe (gorilla)
Harambe (* 27. May 1999 in Brownsville , Texas ; † 28. May 2016 in Cincinnati , Ohio ) was a western lowland gorilla , who on May 28, 2016 Zoo of Cincinnati in the US state was shot Ohio, after a three-year-old boy in the enclosure had fallen. The shooting of Harambes received worldwide media coverage and sparked controversial discussions on social media.
history
Harambe was born on May 27, 1999 at Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville , South Texas . It was named after the song Harambe (Working Together for Freedom) by Rita Marley . On September 18, 2014, Harambe came to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden.
On May 28, 2016, a three-year-old boy fell into the shallow moat of the gorilla enclosure. Guards immediately called the three gorillas back into the building. The two females followed the instructions, but not the harambe, which weighs around 200 kilograms. He climbed into the moat with the child.
Harambe pulled the child by the leg through the water while the guards and onlookers called on him. Then he took the child up a ladder into the dry. It was decided to shoot the animal to protect the child. A rifle shot killed Harambe; he had the child with him at this point. The child survived.
controversy
It was debated on social media whether the killing was justified. The child's parents were accused of being responsible for the death of the gorilla. Investigations have been launched against both the zoo and the child's parents; in both cases there were no convictions.
The incident was filmed by viewers and posted on YouTube . Primate researcher Jane Goodall saw the video as evidence that the gorilla was trying to protect the child. However, she later defended the decision to kill the gorilla, as decisions about life and death would sometimes have to be made when humans meet wild animals.
The killing of Harambe led to the emergence of a number of internet memes that spread quickly, with slogans such as "Dicks out for Harambe" and "Bush did Harambe" and "Bush did Harambe." made Harambe ”, an allusion to conspiracy theories as of September 11, 2001 ). Harambe was even proposed as a candidate for the US presidential election . In August 2016, the director of the Cincinnati Zoo commented on what was going on online: "We are not pleased with the memes, petitions and signs about Harambe."
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Harambe should finally rest in peace. In: Spiegel Online from 23 August 2016
- ↑ Shauna Steigerwald: Who was Harambe? on cincinnati.com (English)
- ↑ Gorilla shot: mother of the toddler in the enclosure escapes charge. In: Spiegel Online from June 6, 2016.
- ↑ a b c Harambe the Gorilla. on knowyourmeme.com (English)
- ↑ This is what the famous ape researcher Jane Goodall says about the gorilla drama. In: Stern from June 2, 2016.