# Gorilla shot to save young boy **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 30, 2016, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046 "2016-05-30T01:13:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2016, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046/61 "2016-05-30T14:07:14Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > That would be the ultimate outrage irony, on par with the burglar suing the homeowner for injury. But it would be the quintessentially American thing to do. That’s what happened in Pittsburgh, after a child was killed by wild dogs in 2012. The mother had _lifted him over the railing for a better view, and then let him slip._ ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2016, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046/62 "2016-05-30T14:14:49Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > That’s what happened in Pittsburgh, after a child was killed by wild dogs in 2012. The mother had _lifted him over the railing for a better view, and then let him slip._ I’d go to the zoo more often if the odds of seeing extreme tragedy was a bit better. Just like I don’t go to a track to watch a blur of cars whiz by every so often. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2016, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046/63 "2016-05-30T14:14:52Z")
> [@Pylesos](#): > > There’s 7 billions humans in the world and a few thousands of lowland gorillas, yet the gorilla gets shot to save the stupid kid, who’ll grow up and amount to nothing? So by your reckoning, over 699 million human lives are expendable, just to put us on a par with the gorilla population? I agree, the kid will probably grow up and amount to nothing . . . but perhaps he’ll grow up to save the lives of your precious gorillas. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2016, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046/64 "2016-05-30T14:15:25Z")
It’s most likely the zoo’s fault and the parents will probably sue and win. Parents have a reasonable expectation that the zoo would make certain that there’s no way any child would have a way to get into the gorilla pen. If the parent did something to circumvent the safety precautions, that’s a whole different matter. But I suspect that we would have heard about that by now. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2016, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046/65 "2016-05-30T14:17:14Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > I feel like most of the blame lies with the parents, but some lies with the zoo. I feel like animal enclosures should be such that under no circumstances can a small child get into one. No circumstances seems to me an impossible standard. Like anything else in life, we try to idiot-proof it and Nature keeps building more advanced models of idiots. > [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > All this talk of penalizing the parents. But I wonder if maybe the parents will sue the zoo. I would almost be willing to lay money on it. If for no other reason than to get their pound of flesh back for folks calling them “bad parents” in all this; as a way to regain their pride. Like I said upstream, its happened before. ---
**Author:** ![Pylesos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc348/32.png) [@Pylesos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pylesos)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2016, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046/66 "2016-05-30T14:21:36Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > but perhaps he’ll grow up to save the lives of your precious gorillas. The kid already killed one gorilla, the probability of him saving any is infinitesimal. There’s no excuse for a magnificent close relative of human species to lose his life because these parents just came back from Jerry Springer taping a show about bad parenting. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2016, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046/67 "2016-05-30T14:27:21Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > It’s most likely the zoo’s fault and the parents will probably sue and win. Parents have a reasonable expectation that the zoo would make certain that there’s no way any child would have a way to get into the gorilla pen. If the parent did something to circumvent the safety precautions, that’s a whole different matter. But I suspect that we would have heard about that by now. Yes, because heaven forbid parents take responsibility for their children in public. Nope, it’s the world’s fault. You’re right though, the parents will claim victimhood and sue and zoos are usually strapped for cash so while the parents buy a new minivan and plop out more brats, the zoo will have to cut back on who knows how many programs for animals, which is what zoos are supposed to be about, not playing day care. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2016, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046/68 "2016-05-30T14:40:24Z")
> [@Pylesos](#): > > There’s 7 billions humans in the world and a few thousands of lowland gorillas, yet the gorilla gets shot to save the stupid kid, who’ll grow up and amount to nothing? And what would the gorilla have amounted to? You think he would have found the cure for cancer? Written the Great American Novel? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2016, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046/69 "2016-05-30T14:41:07Z")
For those wondering why they killed the gorilla instead of tranqing him, check out this video of a recent chimpanzee escape in Japan. It takes a couple minutes for the tranq to take effect and the chimp can get angry and do a lot in the meantime. > [@Alessan](#): > > And what would the gorilla have amounted to? You think he would have found the cure for cancer? Written the Great American Novel? Yeah, stupid lazy endangered animals. Get a job stupid lazy endangered animals! ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2016, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046/70 "2016-05-30T14:45:30Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > And what would the gorilla have amounted to? You think he would have found the cure for cancer? Written the Great American Novel? Don’t forget the [infinite monkey theorem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinite_monkey_theorem). ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2016, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046/71 "2016-05-30T14:51:01Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Sure. Just look on the commodities exchange. I believe the current going rate is 6 bananas for one child. I’m seeing a solution to both our overpopulation and world hunger problems. Perhaps someone could advance a modest proposal in this regard. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2016, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046/72 "2016-05-30T14:58:07Z")
People taking potshots at the kid are just being assholes, he is as blameless as the gorilla. The Zoo made a difficult decision but it was the right one, a human being’s life is worth more than that of a gorilla. As a parent that would be pretty hard to watch, I’d be tempted to jump in after the kid, but that might be the catalyst that sets the gorilla off and its reaction is to throttle the child. I have noticed at a couple zoos that enclosures don’t seem as secure as they should be, where a child could conceivably slip through. I’ll withhold judgment of the parents till I read more information. I try to always maintain a grip on my children’s hands, but children are slippery little creatures and stronger than adults give them credit for, its possible the kid just snatched a hand away or something, though being a realist, If I was a betting man, I bet there was some degree of inattention involved that gave the kid the opportunity, but also remember if you are in a crowd of people and the kid slips away and slips through a crowd it might be impossible to just grab them if there is a large group of people standing in your way. Its a shitty situation all around. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2016, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046/73 "2016-05-30T15:01:16Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > It’s most likely the zoo’s fault and the parents will probably sue and win. Parents have a reasonable expectation that the zoo would make certain that there’s no way any child would have a way to get into the gorilla pen. If the parent did something to circumvent the safety precautions, that’s a whole different matter. But I suspect that we would have heard about that by now. The parent(s) left a child unattended long enough for him to circumvent the barrier. The time it takes to do that will have some bearing on the situation. There are an infinite number of ways a child can get hurt in any venue so it comes down to whether reasonable efforts were made to mitigate the danger. ---
**Author:** ![Pylesos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc348/32.png) [@Pylesos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pylesos)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2016, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046/74 "2016-05-30T15:22:56Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > And what would the gorilla have amounted to? You think he would have found the cure for cancer? Written the Great American Novel? The (dead) gorilla already amounted to more than the kid ever will–to wit, it didn’t venture into human habitats and hasn’t caused any human deaths. The kid should have been left in the enclosure–Tarzan was raised by the gorillas and turned out ok, which is more than can be said here. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2016, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046/75 "2016-05-30T15:25:43Z")
> [@Pylesos](#): > > The (dead) gorilla already amounted to more than the kid ever will–to wit, it didn’t venture into human habitats and hasn’t caused any human deaths. > The kid should have been left in the enclosure–Tarzan was raised by the gorillas and turned out ok, which is more than can be said here. He was raised by apes(unspecified). Gorillas were specifically mentioned as enemies of the apes. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2016, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046/76 "2016-05-30T15:30:50Z")
PETA should be happy. They kill animals cared for by humans. ---
**Author:** ![donkeyoatey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@donkeyoatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donkeyoatey)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2016, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046/77 "2016-05-30T15:51:52Z")
> [@Whiskey\_Dickens](#): > > The Bananas for Kids Accord negotiations broke down after hours of heated debate I guess. Presumably the life of the child was paramount. A woman walks into her room where her child lies sleeping, and when she sees his eyes are closed, she sits there, silently weeping, and though she lives in Scranton, Pennsylvania She never ever eats … Bananas Not one of thirty thousand pounds … of bananas ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2016, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046/78 "2016-05-30T15:56:55Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Don’t forget the [infinite monkey theorem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinite_monkey_theorem). Yeah, but . . . after an infinite amount of time, who’ll be left to proofread it? ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2016, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046/79 "2016-05-30T16:31:41Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Parents have a reasonable expectation that the zoo would make certain that there’s no way any child would have a way to get into the gorilla pen. I think this is a wildly unreasonable expectation. Suggesting it should be a norm comes across as a kind of paternalistic “concern” regulatory standard, with the actual goal of destroying the thing it regulates, like the “hospital admitting privileges” laws for abortion clinics. If zoos were really held to this standard, there would be very few zoos. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2016, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046/80 "2016-05-30T16:35:58Z")
Of course if it had been [this gorilla](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowflake_%28gorilla%29#/media/File:Snowflake_-_Barcelona_Zoo_White_Gorilla4.jpg) they wouldn’t have shot it! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gorilla-shot-to-save-young-boy/756046.md?page=5)