Harambe facts for kids
Image from video showing Harambe holding the 3-year-old boy
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| Species | Western gorilla |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Born | May 27, 1999 Gladys Porter Zoo, Brownsville, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | May 28, 2016 (aged 17) Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Gunshot wound |
| Known for | Circumstances of death, meme |
| Residence |
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| Weight | 440 lb (200 kg) |
| Named after | "Harambe (Working Together for Freedom)", song by Rita Marley |
Harambe (May 27, 1999 – May 28, 2016) was a male western lowland gorilla. He lived at the Gladys Porter Zoo for 15 years. Later, he moved to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden in 2014.
On May 28, 2016, a three-year-old boy entered Harambe's enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo. Harambe grabbed and dragged the boy. Zoo staff worried for the boy's safety. They decided to shoot and kill Harambe. This event was filmed and became widely known. It caused a lot of discussion about how the zoo handled the situation. Many experts said the zoo had to act quickly. They also noted the importance of keeping zoo animals and people safe.
After his death, Harambe became very famous online. He was featured in many internet memes, songs, and even a video game.
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Harambe's Early Life
Harambe (pronounced huh-RAHM-bay) was born on May 27, 1999. He was born at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas. A local counselor named Dan Van Coppenolle named him. Dan won a contest held by the zoo. He chose the name after hearing the song "Harambe (Working Together for Freedom)" by Rita Marley. Harambee is a Swahili word. It means "working together for a common goal."
On September 18, 2014, Harambe moved to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. He was sent there to learn how to behave as an adult gorilla. He also joined a new group of gorillas.
The Incident and Harambe's Death
On May 28, 2016, a three-year-old boy visited the Cincinnati Zoo. He fell into the moat of the Gorilla World habitat.
Witnesses said the child wanted to go into the gorilla area. The boy climbed over a 3-foot (0.9 m) fence. He then crawled through 4 feet (1.2 m) of bushes. Finally, he fell 15 feet (4.6 m) into a shallow water moat. Zoo workers quickly called the three gorillas in the habitat to come inside. Two female gorillas went back in. However, Harambe, a 440-pound (200 kg) male silverback, went down into the moat. He wanted to investigate the boy splashing in the water.
For about 10 minutes, Harambe seemed upset by the screams of people watching. He carried the child through the water. Sometimes he helped the boy sit up. Other times, he pushed him down when the boy stood. Harambe also showed "strutting" behavior. This is when a gorilla walks with stiff legs and arms. It makes them look bigger. This is a bluff, but it can be dangerous if they throw or drag someone too roughly. Harambe then carried the boy up a ladder out of the moat. He brought the boy onto dry land.
Zoo officials were very worried about the boy's safety. They decided to kill Harambe. They shot him with a single rifle shot. Firefighters said the boy was between Harambe's legs when the shot was fired.
Harambe was killed one day after his 17th birthday. The boy was taken to the hospital. His injuries were not life-threatening.
Public Reactions
A video of the event was uploaded to YouTube. It quickly became a viral sensation. This led to a lot of discussion and debate worldwide. Some people wondered if Harambe really meant to harm the child. Others believed the boy's parents or the zoo should be held responsible. The zoo director, Thane Maynard, explained their decision. He said, "The child was being dragged around... His head was banging on concrete. This was not a gentle thing. The child was at risk."
Police looked into the incident. The boy's mother faced some online criticism. However, she was not charged with any wrongdoing. The zoo was also investigated by animal care organizations.
Many people held special gatherings to remember Harambe. One candlelight vigil took place in Hyde Park, London. An animal rights activist spoke at the Cincinnati Zoo vigil. He said, "I'm not here to decide what was right and what was wrong; the fact is that a gorilla who just celebrated his birthday has been killed."
Some famous people, like Ricky Gervais and Brian May, also criticized the shooting.
Donald Trump, who was running for president at the time, supported the zoo's actions. He said that with a child's life at stake, the zoo probably had no other choice.
The event also made experts discuss whether gorillas should be kept in zoos. Primatologist Jane Goodall first thought Harambe might have been protecting the child. Later, she said the zoo had no choice but to kill him. She explained that when people are close to wild animals, tough decisions sometimes have to be made. She also believed that good zoos play an important role in conservation.
Zookeeper Jack Hanna strongly agreed with the zoo's decision. He said a tranquilizer dart would take too long to work. It might have made Harambe even more agitated. Primatologist Frans de Waal also said the zoo had few options. He noted that gorillas are incredibly strong. Even with good intentions, the child could have been seriously hurt or killed.
Harambe's Cultural Impact
After his death, Harambe became the subject of many popular internet memes. Vox called him "2016's meme of the year." Many memes involved exaggerated tributes to Harambe. The idea was that the more serious the mourning seemed, the funnier the joke became. One popular meme was "Dicks out for Harambe." This was a joking call for armed revenge for Harambe's death.
The Cincinnati Zoo director, Thane Maynard, was not happy about the memes. He said, "Our zoo family is still healing, and the constant mention of Harambe makes moving forward more difficult for us." The zoo even temporarily deleted its Twitter account because of constant messages about Harambe.
Harambe in Media
An underground group called Otaku Gang released a computer fighting game. It was called Harambe vs. Capcom. In the game, Harambe could fight characters from Capcom's Street Fighter series.
American rappers Young Thug and Dumbfoundead both released songs named "Harambe." Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, Inc., also released a rap song called "RIP Harambe" on SoundCloud.
People even started petitions to name newborn baby gorillas "Harambe Jr." in zoos.
On October 18, 2021, a 7-foot (2.1 m) bronze statue of Harambe was placed in Bowling Green Park in New York City. It faced the Charging Bull statue. This act was done by a group promoting a social media network. The statue of Harambe facing the bull, surrounded by bananas, was meant to make a statement about wealth differences.
Later Developments at the Zoo
In September 2017, the Cincinnati Zoo welcomed a new gorilla. His name is Mshindi, a 29-year-old male western lowland gorilla. He came from the Louisville Zoo. Mshindi joined the two female gorillas, Chewie and Mara, who were in the habitat on the day of the incident. At the same time, the zoo built a new indoor area. This allows visitors to safely view the gorillas year-round through strong safety glass.
See also
In Spanish: Harambe para niños
- Binky (polar bear)
- Binti Jua
- Jambo
- Killing of Cecil the lion
- San Francisco Zoo tiger attacks
- List of individual apes
