Keep your child safe when visiting zoo

Last week, a four-year-old boy fell into a gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati zoo, Ohio, United States. To gain access to the enclosure, the boy had gone underneath a rail, passed through barricading wires, and climbed over a wall before falling 15 feet long into a pool within the area that housed three silver back gorillas.

On falling into the enclosure, a 17-year-old gorilla, weighing about 225kg, picked up the little boy. The gorilla dragged the boy weighing about 20kg severally around the shallow pool; just the same way he would play with a baby gorilla.

Eventually, zookeepers had to weigh the options of using a tranquiliser (a drug taken to reduce tension or anxiety) or shooting down the gorilla. The whole of the “nightmare” lasted for about 15 minutes and, all through the period, the gorilla displayed no signs of aggression. Also, the boy was unusually calm.

The option of tranquilising the gorilla was not considered the most suitable in the situation because tranquilisers do not work immediately. It can take up to 10 minutes and, during this period, the animal may experience some confusion and drowsiness.

Cincinnati zookeepers could not take any risk. So, they fired shots that killed such rare species of gorilla. Now, the big question that rocked the airwaves is: “Was the gorilla being killed for protecting or defending its territory?” “What were the parents of the child doing when he went through all those levels of barriers before he finally landed into the enclosure?”

Zoos are memorable places to visit because we get to see animals in their semi-natural environments. In fact, children love to visit zoos because they see real life versions of their favourite cartoon characters in movies such as Lion King. Kids leave the zoo with an expanded knowledge of animals and their environments. Children usually learn animal sounds, smell, likes, and dislikes, among others, in the zoo.

In addition, zoos usually cover a vast amount of land areas and provide an opportunity for children to walk, run, explore their environments and make new discoveries. However, in order to prevent this short pleasurable experience from becoming a long nightmare, there is need for caution when visiting zoos.

Most especially, when visiting a zoo with children, ensure you have your eyes on them. Make sure they are within safe/ recommended limits to the animal enclosures. This can help to prevent the incident that occurred at the Cincinnati zoo.

Also, I advise that all zoos and government agencies saddled with the responsibility of keeping animal enclosures secure and safe should ensure thorough routine assessments of zoos and other animal enclosures within the country.

Zoos have presented us with an opportunity to see wild animals that we could never have seen the whole of our lives. Furthermore, researchers can use these zoo animals as specimens to study how to contain dangerous animals in the wild.  For example, the dosage and effect of tranquilisers on zoo lions can be used help in controlling wild lions that plague human settlements.

Although many animal right activists believe that keeping animals in the zoo is inhumane, on the other side of the coin, zoos have been able to help preserve some endangered species and prevent their extinction.

Have a pleasurable weekend.

 PUNCH.