Cincinnati Zoo Replaces Harambe

For the first time since Harambe was killed in May of 2016, the Cincinnati Zoo is making an addition to the Gorilla World habitat.

Western lowland silverback gorilla, 29-year-old Mshindi, was moved from his previous home at the Louisville Zoo and integrated into his new environment this week.

“We worked closely with Louisville Zoo’s gorilla staff to learn Mshindi’s trained behaviors for body presentations and health exams to get familiar with his likes and dislikes,” Ron Evans, Curator of Primates at the zoo, told Fox 19.

Mshindi joins two other female gorillas living in the facility, 21-year-old Chewie and 22-year-old Mara. Before allowing the three of them to coexist, the zoo is reportedly planning to introduce the animals to each other privately.

Since the viral incident when Harambe was killed last year, the Cincinnati Zoo is making major renovations to its Gorilla World habitat. It is anticipated that the exhibit will be finished this fall.

Harambe was killed by zoo officials after a 4-year-old boy fell into the gorilla enclosure. The child fell over the barrier and into the area where the gorillas lived.

When called off by the trainers, the male gorilla was too distracted and did not retreat to its shelter.

The staff made the decision to kill Harambe, and it was heavily criticized on social media for months thereafter. A video of the incident surfaced on the Internet and it sparked widespread outrage with many claiming that it was the boy’s parents that should be held accountable for the actions of their son.

Despite the backlash, the Cincinnati Zoo stood by its decision.

The zoo claimed that Harambe was “clearly agitated and clearly disoriented,” and “acting erratically.”

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