Jane Goodall Sends E-Mail to Cincinnati Zoo After Gorilla Killing

I feel for everyone involved in this – Harambe, the boy, the zoo staff and the child's family, who are going to have to live with this incident years after our Facebook posts and tweets have disappeared and people have moved on to the next thing.

I honestly can't imagine being the relatives of that child, who have just experienced something so nightmarish, then get to see disgusting comments like, "They should have let the kid die" online.

It's a horrible situation for all involved, but doctor and primate expert Jane Goodall sent an email to the Cincy Zoo this week:

Goodall dated the email May 29 and it stated:

Dear Thane,

 

I feel so sorry for you having to try to defend something which you may well disapprove of. I tried to see exactly what was happening – it looked as though the gorilla was putting an arm around the child – like the female who rescued and returned the child from the Chicago exhibit.

 

Anyway, whatever, it is a devastating loss to the zoo, and to the gorillas. How did the others react? Are they allowed to see, and express grief, which seems to be so important.

 

Feeling for you,

Jane