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Harambe

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For the Kenyan tradition, see Harambee.
For other uses, see Harambe (disambiguation).

Harambe
Still from a video showing Harambe holding the 3-year-old boy
SpeciesWestern gorilla
SexMale
Born(1999-05-27)May 27, 1999
Gladys Porter Zoo, Brownsville, Texas, U.S.
DiedMay 28, 2016(2016-05-28) (aged 17)
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Cause of deathGunshot wound[1][2]
Known forCircumstances of death
Residence
  • Gladys Porter Zoo (1999–2014)
  • Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden (2014–2016)
Weight440 lb (200 kg)
Named afterRita Marley song

Harambe (/həˈrɑːmbeɪ/ hə-RAHM-bay; May 27, 1999 – May 28, 2016) was a western lowland gorilla who lived at the Cincinnati Zoo. On May 28, 2016, a three-year-old boy visiting the zoo climbed under a fence into an outdoor gorilla enclosure where he was grabbed and violently dragged and thrown by Harambe.[3] Fearing for the boy's life, a zoo worker shot and killed Harambe. The incident was recorded on video and received broad international coverage and commentary, including controversy over the choice to use lethal force. A number of primatologists and conservationists wrote later that the zoo had no other choice under the circumstances, and that it highlighted the danger of zoo animals near humans and the need for better standards of care.

Harambe became the subject of internet memes, a statue, songs, and other tributes and recognitions.

History

Early life and upbringing

Harambe was born at Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas, on May 27, 1999. He was named by Dan Van Coppenolle, a local area counselor who won a naming contest sponsored by the zoo.[4] He came up with the name after listening to the 1988 song "Harambe (Working Together for Freedom)" by Rita Marley, widow of Bob Marley.[5] Harambee is a Swahili term for communal labor.[5]

On January 6, 2002, when Harambe was two years old, his mother Kayla, his 11-month-old brother Makoko, and his two-year-old half-sister Uzuri died of chlorine gas poisoning after chlorine tablets left too close to a space heater released gas into the gorilla enclosure. Harambe was also possibly injured in the accident.[6]

On September 18, 2014, Harambe was transferred to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, to learn adult gorilla behavior and join a new social group.[7][8]

Death

On May 28, 2016, a 3-year-old boy visiting the Cincinnati Zoo fell into the moat at the Gorilla World habitat.[9][10]

Witnesses said they heard the child say he wanted to go into the gorilla enclosure.[11] The boy then climbed a 3-foot-tall (0.9 m) fence, crawled through 4 feet (1.2 m) of bushes, and then fell 15 feet (4.6 m) into a moat of shallow water. Zoo officials immediately signaled for the three gorillas in the habitat to return inside, and two females did so. However, the third gorilla, the inquisitive 440-pound (200 kg) male silverback, Harambe, climbed down into the moat to investigate the child splashing in the water.[10]

Over the next 10 minutes, Harambe became increasingly "agitated and disoriented" by the screams of onlookers.[12][13] He carried the child through the water, occasionally propping him up when he sat, or pushing him down when he stood.[12] Harambe exhibited "strutting" behavior—walking around with legs and arms stiffly extended to appear bigger—a bluffing move, though one with inherent danger should he throw or drag the boy around too roughly.[13] Harambe then carried the boy up a ladder out of the moat onto dry land. Afraid for the boy's welfare, zoo officials made the decision to kill Harambe, doing so with a single rifle shot to the head.[3][6][14] Cincinnati firefighters said the boy was between Harambe's legs when the shot was fired.[10]

Harambe was killed one day after his 17th birthday.[12] The boy was given a trauma assessment and transported to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center; his injuries were non-life-threatening.[1]

Reactions

Memorial for Harambe at the Cincinnati Zoo, June 12, 2016

The incident was recorded in a dramatic video by an anonymous bystander and uploaded to YouTube, where it went viral, sparking global publicity and controversy.[15][16] Some observers said that it was unclear whether Harambe was likely to harm the child.[17][18] Others called for the boy's parents or the zoo to be held accountable for the gorilla's death.[19] Zoo director Thane Maynard stated, "The child was being dragged around ... His head was banging on concrete. This was not a gentle thing. The child was at risk."[3][20][21]

Police investigated possible criminal charges against the parents, while the parents defended the zoo's actions.[22][23] The boy's mother also became the target of online shaming.[24] On June 6, 2016, Ohio prosecutor Joe Deters said that the mother would not face any charges of wrongdoing.[9] The zoo was investigated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), which sets the standards for zoos, and the USDA.[25]

Several vigils took place to honor Harambe's death. A candlelight vigil was held at Hyde Park, Cincinnati.[26] Animal rights activist Anthony Seta spoke at a vigil at Cincinnati Zoo, saying: "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."[27]

The shooting was criticized by celebrities including Ricky Gervais, Brian May, and Piers Morgan.[28] Donald Trump defended the actions of the zoo during his 2016 presidential campaign, stating the zoo employees "probably had no choice",[29] although he said "it was almost like a mother holding a baby".[22]

The incident sparked debate among biologists and primatologists on whether gorillas and other primates should be held in captivity at all.[13] Primatologist Jane Goodall said that according to the video it seemed Harambe was trying to protect the child.[30] She gave a longer explanation in an interview with the president of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, concluding that the zoo had no choice but to kill Harambe.[31] She wrote, "It was awful for the child, the parents, Harambe, the zoo, the keepers and the public. But when people come into contact with wild animals, life and death decisions sometimes have to be made."[25] Goodall said "we will never be able to be 100% sure that people and wildlife won't be injured when they are in such close proximity", and she believed that zoos "with the highest standards of care" could play an important role in the animals' well being.[25]

Zookeeper Jack Hanna strongly defended the zoo's actions, noting that a tranquilizer dart might have taken five or ten minutes to take effect and would have further aggravated Harambe.[32] Primatologist Frans de Waal said he saw few options for the zoo: "A gorilla is so immensely strong that even with the best of intentions—and we are not sure that Harambe had those—the child's death was a probable outcome."[33] Ian Redmond of the Ape Alliance said there were other options that were not tried, such as showing force to bluster the gorilla to back down, or if someone known and trusted by Harambe had tried to calm him.[34]

Cultural impact

Memes

Following the killing, Harambe became the subject of multiple viral memes.[35] Vox wrote in November that Harambe has an "undeniable status as 2016's meme of the year."[36] People magazine wrote that "Harambe continues to live on in the collective mind of the internet, entering into a rarefied state of venerated meme status."[37] One of the most widespread memes was noted by The Washington Post and New York magazine who observed a proliferation of over-the-top and fake tributes to Harambe. "The idea is, the more intense and more sincere-seeming the expression of mourning is, the funnier the joke."[35][38] For example, the "Dicks out for Harambe" meme can be seen as a fake tribute to an incident that would normally engender sincere mourning.[39][40][41] Aja Romano of Vox wrote that "If you were a progressive, the Harambe meme gave you a chance to mock what you viewed as the hypocritical haranguing of the mainstream while avoiding real issues of social justice; and if you were a conservative, the Harambe meme gave you a chance to mock liberal hysteria."[38][42] One meme is a play on conspiracy theories, such as "Bush did Harambe", a reference to 9/11 conspiracy theories.[43] In Australia, people joked about supporting Harambe's corpse as a write-in candidate on the ballot for the federal election.[44] Public Policy Polling included Harambe in their polling for the U.S. presidential election. Harambe had 5% support in late July 2016 (ahead of Green Party nominee Jill Stein) and 2% in August 2016 (tied with Stein).[45][46]

Cincinnati Zoo director Thane Maynard reacted negatively: "We are not amused by the memes, petitions and signs about Harambe. Our zoo family is still healing, and the constant mention of Harambe makes moving forward more difficult for us. We are honoring Harambe by redoubling our gorilla conservation efforts and encouraging others to join us."[47] In late August, the zoo deleted its Twitter account after being targeted daily by trolls mentioning Harambe.[48] The zoo resumed its account two months later.[49][50]

Comedic culture

As noted by Chris Rosales, "While the gorilla's death is tragic, the culture that has spawned around it is quite comedic."[51]

A self-described underground culture collective known as Otaku Gang released a computer parody fighting game known as Harambe vs. Capcom, with Harambe being able to fight characters from Capcom's Street Fighter franchise.[52][53][54]

American rappers Young Thug and Dumbfoundead each released songs entitled "Harambe". The former did so on his 2016 album Jeffery, each track of which is named after one of his "idols", although the lyrics do not reference the gorilla;[55][56] the latter likens the fate of the ape to gang violence and police brutality.[57] Canadian dubstep producer Excision included a song titled "Harambe" on his 2016 album Virus.[58]

On June 16, 2017, satire news site The Onion featured a parody article of professional wrestler Big Show being killed by WWE after a seven-year-old boy wandered into his fight cage.[59] On March 30, 2019, Elon Musk released a two-minute rap song titled "RIP Harambe" onto his SoundCloud.[60] The track was performed by Yung Jake, written by him and Caroline Polachek.[61][62] Rolling Stone magazine called the track "a bouncy tribute to Harambe".[60]

On October 18, 2021, the 7-foot-tall (2.1 m) bronze statue Harambe was placed in Bowling Green Park in New York City, facing the Charging Bull statue, to promote Sapien Network. The statue of Harambe facing the bull, whose feet were surrounded by 10,000 bananas, was a statement about wealth disparity.[63]

In October 2023, a new pedestrian bridge in Mauldin, South Carolina, was listed as "Harambe Memorial Bridge" on Google Maps before the bridge had been officially named.[51] The city was petitioned to keep the proposed name, but in February 2024 it was officially named the Mauldin Gateway Bridge.[64]

Later developments

In September 2017, the zoo added Mshindi, a 29-year-old male western lowland gorilla transferred from the Louisville Zoo. He joined females Chewie, 21, and Mara, 22, who were present on the day of the killing. At the same time, the zoo created a new indoor habitat where the public can view the gorillas year-round from behind safety glass.[65][66]

On the 2023 World Gorilla Day (September 24),[67] the feature-length documentary Harambe was released. The film is critical of Harambe's killing. It shows new photographs and video footage from the day, and claims new evidence that Harambe was trying to return the boy to his parents.[68][69]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Foster, Matthew (May 29, 2016). "3-Year-Old Who Fell Into Cincinnati Zoo's Gorilla Enclosure Expected to Recover". ABC News. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  2. ^ "Cincinnati gorilla shooting: Police to investigate parents". BBC News. June 1, 2016. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c McPhate, Mike (May 29, 2016). "Gorilla Killed After Child Enters Enclosure at Cincinnati Zoo". The New York Times. Retrieved May 29, 2021. Cincinnati Fire Department personnel responding to the scene witnessed the gorilla "violently dragging and throwing the child," according to an incident report.
  4. ^ Bigfoot Journeys (January 27, 2014). "Announcing the name of a baby lowland gorilla, 'Harambe'". KGBT-TV. Archived from the original on December 18, 2021 – via YouTube.
  5. ^ a b Van Coppenolle, Dan (June 1, 2016). "I named Harambe. What his death means to me". CNN. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  6. ^ a b O'Neill, Kara (June 1, 2016). "Shot gorilla's Harambe's mother and brother were GASSED TO DEATH in chlorine leak at zoo". The Daily Mirror. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  7. ^ "Cincinnati Zoo gets silverback gorilla Harambe for 'spring training'". WCPO. April 14, 2015. Archived from the original on May 31, 2016.
  8. ^ "New Rookie Silverback in Gorilla World for Spring Training". The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. April 14, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  9. ^ a b Park, Madison; Yan, Holly (June 6, 2016). "Gorilla killing: 3-year-old boy's mother won't be charged". CNN. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c Knight, Cameron (June 1, 2016). "How boy got into gorilla enclosure". USA Today. Cincinnati.com. Retrieved June 20, 2016. a 3-year-old boy dropped into the Gorilla World exhibit
  11. ^ Shammas, John (May 30, 2016). "Mum of boy who fell into gorilla zoo enclosure blasts critics saying 'accidents happen'". Daily Mirror. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  12. ^ a b c Hall, Carla (May 31, 2016). "Lesson of the Cincinnati gorilla killing: The zoo is not a playground". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  13. ^ a b c Angier, Natalie (June 6, 2016). "Do Gorillas Even Belong in Zoos? Harambe's Death Spurs Debate". The New York Times. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  14. ^ Gambone, Emily (May 27, 2021). "Why We Fight for Nonhuman Rights: Harambe's Story". Nonhuman Rights Project. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  15. ^ Cincinnati zoo kills gorilla to save boy who fell into enclosure on YouTube
  16. ^ Collier, Hatty (May 28, 2016). "Zoo faces backlash over decision to shoot gorilla dead after boy, 4, fell into enclosure". London Evening Standard. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
  17. ^ Fieldstadt, Elisha (May 29, 2016). "Killed Gorilla Seemed to Protect Child Who Fell in Enclosure: Witness". NBC News. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
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  21. ^ Ralph, Ellis; Rose, Rashard (May 29, 2016). "Gorilla shot to save child at Cincinnati zoo". CNN. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
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  30. ^ Goodall, Jane (May 31, 2016). "Memo RE: Shooting of Harambe at Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens" (PDF). janegoodall.org. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  31. ^ Chan, Melissa (June 20, 2016). "Jane Goodall Says Zoo Was Right to Kill Harambe the Gorilla". Time. Yahoo! News. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  32. ^ Campbell, Chuck (May 31, 2016). "Jack Hanna defends Cincinnati Zoo's decision to kill gorilla". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved August 3, 2016 – via USA Today.
  33. ^ Greshko, Michael (May 31, 2016). "Harambe's Behavior May Have Been Normal Gorilla Play". National Geographic. Archived from the original on June 1, 2016. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  34. ^ Redmond, Ian (May 31, 2016). "I've spent a lifetime with gorillas. Shooting them should be a last resort". The Guardian. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  35. ^ a b Ohlheiser, Abby (July 27, 2016). "The Internet won't let Harambe rest in peace". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  36. ^ Romano, Aja (November 9, 2016). "Those claims that Harambe won 20,000 votes are based on nothing". Vox. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  37. ^ Heigl, Alex (August 15, 2016). "Harambe the Gorilla's Bizarre Eternal Life as an Internet Meme". People. Archived from the original on March 23, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  38. ^ a b Feldman, Brian (July 27, 2016). "The Dark Internet Humor of Harambe Jokes". New York. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  39. ^ Siese, April (July 7, 2016). "'D**ks out for Harambe' is a movement Danny Trejo supports". The Daily Dot. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  40. ^ Rense, Sarah (August 16, 2016). "No, Really, Why Are We All Saying 'Dicks Out for Harambe'?". Esquire. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
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  43. ^ Reigstad, Leif (August 17, 2016). "George W. Bush Didn't Kill Harambe, The Internet Is Just Weird". Texas Monthly. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  44. ^ Hunt, Elle (July 2, 2016). "Vote for Harambe: Australian election gives second life to Cincinnati zoo gorilla". The Guardian. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  45. ^ Firozi, Paulina (August 17, 2016). "Poll: Jill Stein tied with Harambe, trailing Deez Nutz in Texas". The Hill. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  46. ^ Silverstein, Jason (July 31, 2016). "Harambe the dead gorilla would fare well as independent presidential candidate, poll says". Daily News. New York. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  47. ^ Griffin, Andrew (August 22, 2016). "Harambe: Stop making memes of our dead gorilla, Cincinnati Zoo pleads". The Independent. Archived from the original on May 9, 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  48. ^ Molloy, Mark (August 23, 2016). "Cincinnati Zoo deletes Twitter account over abuse and memes of dead gorilla Harambe". The Daily Telegraph. Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  49. ^ "Cincinnati Zoo rejoins Twitter following Harambe controversy". Fox News. Associated Press. October 21, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
  50. ^ Sewell, Dan (April 22, 2017). "Premature hippo a happy hit for Ohio zoo after gorilla death". ABC News. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  51. ^ a b Rosales, Chris (October 14, 2023). "City Stuck With Harambe Memorial Bridge After Rogue Google Maps Edit". The Drive. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  52. ^ Hernandez, Patricia (September 16, 2016). "Someone Put Harambe In Street Fighter, Because Why Not". Kotaku. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  53. ^ Good, Owen (September 17, 2016). "Dear God, someone has made Harambe vs. Capcom". Polygon. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  54. ^ Lemon, Marshall (September 17, 2016). "Harambe Vs Capcom turns tragic story into a parody game". VG247. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  55. ^ Strauss, Matthew (August 26, 2016). "Young Thug's New No, My Name Is JEFFERY Mixtape Has Songs for Harambe and Rihanna, and an Incredible Cover: Listen". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
  56. ^ Tiffany, Kaitlyn (August 26, 2016). "Young Thug writes a song for Harambe, forgets Harambe". The Verge. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
  57. ^ Braboy, Mark (August 19, 2016). "Dumbfoundead Addresses These Turbulent Times In 'Harambe'". Vibe. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  58. ^ Meadow, Matthew (October 25, 2016). "Excision releases his third studio album 'Virus'". Your EDM. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  59. ^ "WWE Staff Forced To Shoot Aggressive Wrestler After Child Climbs Into Steel Cage". The Onion. June 16, 2017. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
  60. ^ a b Kreps, Daniel (March 31, 2019). "Hear Elon Musk's Surprise Rap Song 'RIP Harambe'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
  61. ^ Arcand, Rob (March 31, 2019). "Elon Musk Drops Surprise Rap Single 'RIP Harambe'". Spin. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  62. ^ Fitzgerald, Trent (March 31, 2019). "Elon Musk Randomly Shares Rap Song Dedicated to Harambe". XXL. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  63. ^ Lozano, Gabriella (October 10, 2021). "7-Foot Harambe Statue Stares Down Wall Street's Charging Bull, Which Is Now Covered in Bananas". NBC New York. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  64. ^ Snipes, Anisa (February 21, 2024). "City officials vote on name for pedestrian bridge after going viral last year". Fox Carolina. Gray Media Group, Inc. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
  65. ^ "Cincinnati Zoo Introduces First Gorilla Since the Death of Harambe". Inside Edition. September 15, 2017. Retrieved September 17, 2017 – via Yahoo! News.
  66. ^ "New Indoor Gorilla Habitat Tour". The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. November 20, 2017. Archived from the original on December 18, 2021. Retrieved April 23, 2018 – via YouTube.
  67. ^ "World Gorilla Day". Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  68. ^ Moorwood, Victoria (September 18, 2023). "New 'Harambe' doc to have 'rare' photos, videos of Cincinnati gorilla". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
  69. ^ "Harambe Movie Documentary Home Page". harambemovie.com. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
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