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Killing of Harambe facts for kids

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Killing of Harambe
Date May 28, 2016; 7 years ago (2016-05-28)
Time 4:00 p.m. EDT
Location Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, U.S.
Coordinates 39°08′41″N 84°30′36″W / 39.144684°N 84.510079°W / 39.144684; -84.510079
Cause Gunshot

Harambe was a gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. On May 28, 2016, a three-year-old boy climbed into a gorilla enclosure at the zoo and was grabbed and dragged by Harambe, a 17-year-old Western lowland gorilla. Fearing for the boy's life, a zoo worker shot and killed Harambe. It was recorded on video and was shown on news services around the world. There was a lot of argument about the decision to kill Harambe. A number of primatologists and conservationists said that the zoo had no other choice under the circumstances, and that they did the right thing.

The boy's mother also became the target of harassment on the internet and social media. On June 6, 2016, the Ohio prosecutor said that the mother would not face any charges of wrongdoing. The zoo was being investigated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), which sets the standards for zoos, and the USDA.

Experts Jack Hanna and Jane Goodall defended the zoo's actions in killing Harambe.

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