Flowers around a statue of a gorilla and her baby outside the Cincinnati Zoo's Gorilla World exhibit In May 2016, Harambe, a western lowland gorilla, was shot and killed by a zoo worker after a child fell into his enclosure. The incident sparked public outcry. (more) Harambe gorilla Ask the Chatbot a Question Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Frannie Comstock Frannie Comstock is a writer based in Chicago. Frannie Comstock Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Nov 18, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot a Question { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What event led to Harambe being shot at the Cincinnati Zoo? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "A three-year-old boy fell into Harambeu2019s exhibit, and Harambe picked the boy up and dragged him around. The zoo decided to shoot Harambe to protect the child." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Why did the Cincinnati Zoo not tranquilize Harambe? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Tranquilizers take several minutes to take effect and could have agitated Harambe, putting the child in more danger." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What changes did the Cincinnati Zoo make after Harambeu2019s death? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The zoo replaced the fence with nylon mesh to cover gaps and installed three security cameras by the gorilla enclosure." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What was PETAu2019s stance on Harambeu2019s death? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "PETA stated that captivity is never acceptable for gorillas or other primates and urged families to avoid facilities displaying animals as sideshows." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How did Harambeu2019s death influence Internet culture? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Harambeu2019s death inspired memes, songs, and viral phrases. Elon Musk released a song titled u201CRIP Harambe,u201D and the phrase u201Cdicks out for Harambeu201D became popular." } } ] } Top Questions What event led to Harambe being shot at the Cincinnati Zoo? A three-year-old boy fell into Harambe’s exhibit, and Harambe picked the boy up and dragged him around. The zoo decided to shoot Harambe to protect the child.

　　Why did the Cincinnati Zoo not tranquilize Harambe? Tranquilizers take several minutes to take effect and could have agitated Harambe, putting the child in more danger.

　　What changes did the Cincinnati Zoo make after Harambe’s death? The zoo replaced the fence with nylon mesh to cover gaps and installed three security cameras by the gorilla enclosure.

　　What was PETA’s stance on Harambe’s death? PETA stated that captivity is never acceptable for gorillas or other primates and urged families to avoid facilities displaying animals as sideshows.

　　How did Harambe’s death influence Internet culture? Harambe’s death inspired memes, songs, and viral phrases. Elon Musk released a song titled “RIP Harambe,” and the phrase “dicks out for Harambe” became popular.

　　Harambe, gorilla who was shot and killed at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden on May 28, 2016, after a three-year-old boy fell into his exhibit. Harambe’s death sparked a national debate regarding how the situation should have been handled and provided fodder for a variety of memes and jokes. Harambe, a silverback western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla), was born on May 27, 1999, at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas. Following his birth, the zoo held a naming contest for the gorilla. The winner, Dan Van Coppenolle, suggested the name Harambe, based on the Swahili word harambee ...(100 of 1162 words)

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