Harambe, Gorilla Killed at Cincinnati Zoo

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Harambe the Gorilla was a 17-year-old Western lowland silverback gorilla that was shot and killed at the Cincinnati Zoo after a child fell into his enclosure in late May 2016. The incident was wildly criticized by many who blamed the child’s parents for the gorilla’s untimely death. Despite outrage from the public, some experts and activists believe the Cincinnati Zoo did the right thing to fatally shoot an endangered gorilla after a toddler fell into the animal’s enclosure.

Watch the video and read the article from the link below to learn more and be able to answer the questions that follow.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-36414813

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you feel about this news?
  2. Do you think it was right to kill the gorilla? Justify your answer.
  3. Do you think there was negligence from the child’s parents end?
  4. How active are the animal rights group in your country?
  5. In your own opinion, what rights do animals have?
0.00 avg. rating (0% score) - 0 votes

Related posts:

  1. Risk of Being Killed by Falling Space Rocket B1 – Intermediate Scientists have revealed that in the near future, rocket parts could fall...
  2. Jail Risk for Parents Who Raise Children as Vegans B2 – Upper Intermediate Vegans have a plant-based diet avoiding all animal foods such as...
  3. Wildlife Travel Agent Drops Zoo Trips B2 – Upper Intermediate Going on package tours sound really interesting. However, if these trips...
  4. Animal Rights C1 – Advanced Animal rights is the idea that some, or all, non-human animals are entitled to...
  5. Dentist Visits an Elephant B2 – Upper intermediate Dental care is necessary. Good teeth doesn’t only make you look...

2 replies on “Harambe, Gorilla Killed at Cincinnati Zoo”

These kinds of new make me feel sad. There is little doubt that the animal’s caretaker had the right choice. The child was in danger, and nobody knew how the gorilla could react. If I were him, I would have done the same thing. A child’s life is more important than a gorilla one.
I firmly believe that the child’s parents are also responsible for what happened because they should have watched their son more closely. Nowadays, zoos are not necessary. Maybe, they were useful fifty years ago, because it was the only way that people knew wild animals. But today we live in a global world where the internet, new technologies and faster means of transport could be enough resources to teach people about animals.
As far as I know, there are a lot of groups claiming about animal rights. Lately bullfights are a growing issue that has sparked anger, between people for and against them.
Finally, there is little doubt that wild animals should live in freedom and in their environment because, it is there where they are really happy.

Thanks for expressing your sentiments on this issue. You did a very good job. Here are some minor corrections:

the animal’s caretaker had the right choice
> the animal’s caretaker MADE the right choice

nobody knew how the gorilla could react
> nobody knew how the gorilla WOULD react

there are a lot of groups claiming about animal rights
> there are a lot of groups THAT ARE ADVOCATING ON/FIGHTING FOR animal rights

should live in freedom and in their environment
> should live IN THEIR NATURAL HABITAT AND NOT in CAPTIVITY

Keep up the good job!

Leave a Reply

Only registered students can submit comments.