Sara Keenan
The mother of the child who fell into Harambe's enclosure was forced to defend herself after the gorilla was fatally shot to protect her son.
If you had to pinpoint a moment where things really started to feel off in the world, many would argue 2016 was that year.
And among the most infamous events of that year was the killing of Harambe, the 17-year-old silverback gorilla shot dead at Cincinnati Zoo on May 28, 2016, after a three-year-old boy fell into his enclosure.
Harambe's death sparked global outrage, countless memes, and ongoing debates about human-animal interactions and parental responsibility.
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The boy's mother was forced to issue a statement at the time, addressing the intense scrutiny she faced.
In a since-deleted Instagram post, she defended herself against criticism over how her child managed to climb into the enclosure.
She wrote: "As a society, we are quick to judge how a parent could take their eyes off their child. And if anyone knows me, I keep a pretty tight watch on my kids."
She explained that it only took a moment for her son to slip away: "Accidents happen, but I am thankful God protected my child."
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The incident unfolded when her son climbed over a barrier and fell into the gorilla enclosure's moat. As the boy splashed around, Harambe approached, showing a mix of protective and concerning behaviours.
He alternated between seemingly propping the boy up and dragging him through the water, actions that sparked fear among the crowd of onlookers.
With the boy's life at risk, zookeepers made the difficult decision to shoot Harambe, fatally wounding the gorilla with a single bullet.
Despite their efforts, questions lingered over why tranquilisers weren't used instead.
The director of the 2023 documentary Harambe addressed this during an interview with UnchainedTV.
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Erik Crown explained that tranquilisers don't work like they do in movies.
"It can take up to 20, 25 minutes to become active, especially inside of a large gorilla," he said.
"That may have agitated Harambe, may have led to a different outcome or a very dangerous outcome for the boy."
While some argued Harambe's actions were protective and potentially aimed at returning the child to safety, the zoo maintained they had no choice but to act as they did.
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The boy was rescued with minor injuries, but the backlash against the zoo and the boy's family was severe.
The aftermath of Harambe’s death saw the gorilla posthumously elevated to global fame, becoming a symbol of memes, debates, and even statues. In 2021, a seven-foot bronze statue of Harambe was placed facing Wall Street’s Charging Bull.
Harambe's story continues to resonate, raising questions about the ethics of keeping animals in captivity.
As Crown put it: "As much as we would have liked to have seen a non-lethal ending, the reality is these situations shouldn’t exist in the first place."
Years on, the boy’s mother still faces judgment, but her perspective remained clear: “I want people to know that my son is OK, and accidents can happen to anyone. We were fortunate that day, even if it came at such a tragic cost.”