Harambe
Still frame from a video showing Harambe holding the 3-year-old boy | |
| 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 |
| Residence |
|
| Weight | 440 lb (200 kg) |
| Named after | Rita 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. 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. Several 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.