Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Amateur footage shows the gorilla dragging the boy through the water 
 
 The killing of a gorilla at a zoo in the US city of Cincinnati after a four-year-old boy fell into its enclosure has triggered outrage on social media. 
 
 Many said male gorilla Harambe should not have been shot dead as he did not intend to hurt the boy, some using the hashtag #JusticeForHarambe. 
 
 Others said the parents should be held responsible for not looking after their child during Saturday's incident. 
 
 Zoo officials shot dead the gorilla after he grabbed and dragged the boy. 
 
 The zoo said it had taken this action against the 400lb (180kg) gorilla as the situation was "life-threatening". 
 
 Twitter user StrayanRepublic, wrote: "#HARAMBE wasn't dragging him to kill him... he was protecting the child from the threat of screaming tourists. @Xoxjlove @CincinnatiZoo." 
 
 Kenz, another user, posted this message: "#JusticeForHarambe its so sad that an endangered animal had to be put down because of careless parenting." 
 
 Meanwhile, Andrue wrote: "Why don't zoos have instant acting tranquilizer? First those 2 lions now Harambe #JusticeForHarambe." 
 
 He was referring to last week's incident when two lions were shot dead in a zoo in Chile after a man entered their pen in an apparent suicide attempt. 
 
 More than 60,000 people have also signed a special petition, calling for the boy's parents to "be held accountable for the lack of supervision and negligence that caused Harambe to lose his life". 
 
 Image copyright Twitter 
 
 Image copyright Twitter 
 
 Image copyright Twitter 
 
 'Devastated' 
 
 Cincinnati zoo has temporarily shut its gorilla exhibit following the incident. 
 
 The boy had climbed through a barrier and fallen about 3m (10ft) into the moat. Video shows the boy being dragged through the shallow moat. The gorilla then stops, with the child below him and looking up at him. 
 
 But reports say this was only a partial picture, and the boy was dragged by the 17-year-old male western lowland gorilla for about 10 minutes. 
 
 He was taken to a local hospital and although no information about his condition has been released, it is believed he will fully recover. 
 
 Image copyright Reuters Image caption The 17-year-old male gorilla, Harambe, was brought to the zoo in 2014 
 
 Zoo director Thane Maynard said: "[The officials] made a tough choice and they made the right choice because they saved that little boy's life. It could have been very bad." 
 
 He said a tranquilliser would not have had a quick enough effect. 
 
 Mr Maynard said that although the boy was not under attack, he "certainly was at risk". 
 
 He added: "We are all devastated that this tragic accident resulted in the death of a critically endangered gorilla. This is a huge loss for the zoo family and the gorilla population worldwide." 
 
 Harambe was born in captivity in Texas and moved to Cincinnati zoo in 2014, where it was hoped he could be part of a breeding programme. Cincinnati zoo has had the largest number of western lowland gorilla births in the US. 
 
 Protective 
 
 In a similar incident in 1986 on the island of Jersey, a Crown dependency of the UK, a five-year-old boy fell into a gorilla enclosure. 
 
 He lost consciousness and a silverback gorilla called Jambo famously stood guard over him, protecting him from other gorillas and stroking his back. When the boy came round he started to cry and the gorillas retreated, allowing keepers and an ambulanceman to rescue the child. 
 
 A life-sized statue of Jambo fetched £18,000 ($26,000) at auction and he even appeared on Jersey stamps. 
 
 The western lowland subspecies inhabits west African rainforests and is the most numerous, although exact figures are not known. There are more than 500 in zoos worldwide. 
 
 The shooting of the lions last week in Santiago, Chile, brought criticism from activists. Zoo officials said no fast-activating tranquillisers were available. 
 
 The man had jumped into the enclosure and stripped naked. ||||| (CNN) Zookeepers shot and killed a rare gorilla on Saturday after a 3-year-old boy slipped into its enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo, triggering outcry over how the situation was handled. 
 
 If they had to do it again, they would respond the same way, the zoo's director said Monday. 
 
 Cincinnati Zoo Director Thane Maynard said he stands by the decision to kill 17-year-old silverback Harambe to save the child. The boy went under a rail, through wires and over a moat wall to get into the enclosure, according to the zoo. Footage shot by a witness shows Harambe dragging the child through the water as the clamor of the crowd grows louder. 
 
 Zookeepers shot the 450-pound gorilla with a rifle, rather than tranquilizing him. The brief encounter sparked widespread Internet outrage over the decision to shoot Harambe and whether the child's parents were to blame for failing to look after him. 
 
 But those second-guessing the call "don't understand silverback gorillas," Maynard said in a news conference. And, they were not there when it was time to make the crucial decision. 
 
 "That child's life was in danger. People who question that don't understand you can't take a risk with a silverback gorilla -- this is a dangerous animal," he said. "Looking back, we'd make the same decision. The child is safe." 
 
 Tranquilizer darts can take 10-15 minutes to work -- @iamjeffcorwin weighs in on gorilla killed at Cincinnati zoo https://t.co/ctCTN3QRaB — New Day (@NewDay) May 30, 2016 
 
 'We made a difficult call' 
 
 The family was visiting the zoo on Saturday when the boy slipped away and entered the enclosure. Kimberley Ann Perkins O'Connor, who captured part of the incident on her phone, told CNN she overheard the boy joking to his mother about going into the water. Then, suddenly, there he was, being dragged by Harambe. 
 
 The unidentified boy was taken to Children's Hospital and released Saturday evening. The family thanked the zoo in a statement through a public relations firm: 
 
 "We are so thankful to the Lord that our child is safe. He is home and doing just fine. We extend our heartfelt thanks for the quick action by the Cincinnati Zoo staff. We know that this was a very difficult decision for them, and that they are grieving the loss of their gorilla. We hope that you will respect our privacy at this time." 
 
 Some suggested the boy's parents should be held criminally responsible for the incident. An online petition seeking "Justice for Harambe" earned more than 100,000 signatures in less than 48 hours. 
 
 "This beautiful gorilla lost his life because the boy's parents did not keep a closer watch on the child," the petition states. 
 
 If you leave your kid in a car you go to jail, if you let your kid fall into a Gorilla Enclosure u should too! #TeamDl — DL Hughley (@RealDLHughley) May 30, 2016 
 
 It seems that some gorillas make better parents than some people. — Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) May 29, 2016 
 
 Cincinnati Police Lt. Stephen Saunders said he is "not aware of any intention to charge the mother" or "the parents" at this time. 
 
 Maynard refused to point fingers at the child's family. 
 
 "We had a very difficult situation and we made a difficult call at the end. I'm not here to point fingers about fault," he said. 
 
 "We live in the real world, we make real decisions. People and kids can climb over barriers. We work hard to make sure this zoo is safe. People can climb over barriers, that's what happened." 
 
 Well-wishers left flowers by the gorilla statue at the Cincinnati Zoo. 
 
 He also defended the enclosure barriers, saying the zoo has been inspected by both the USDA and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. He compared the scenario to a locked car that burglars find their way into if they try hard enough. 
 
 He also pointed out this was the first breach of the exhibit in 38 years of existence. 
 
 "The barriers are safe. They exceed any required protocols. The trouble with barriers, whatever the barrier is, some people get past it," he said. "The zoo is not negligent." 
 
 Questions over lethal shot 
 
 Western lowland gorillas are critically endangered in the wild, numbering fewer than 175,000, according to the zoo. An additional 765 gorillas dwell in zoos worldwide. 
 
 At first, it looked like Harambe was trying to help the boy, O'Connor said. The gorilla stood him up and pulled up his pants. However, as the crowd's clamors grew, Harambe tossed the boy into a corner of the moat and stood over him, O'Connor said. As the crowd's cries grew, the video shows Harambe grabbing the boy by the foot, dragged him through the water and out of the moat atop the habitat, O'Connor said. 
 
 JUST WATCHED Gorilla drags 4-year-old in shocking video Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Gorilla drags 4-year-old in shocking video 02:51 
 
 Moments later, Harambe was put down, a decision that left many wondering if the zoo was too quick to shoot. 
 
 Ian Redmond, chairman of The Gorilla Organization, said zookeepers had other options. 
 
 "When gorilla or other apes have things they shouldn't have, keepers will negotiate with them, bring food, their favorite treats, pineapple or some kind of fruit that they don't know and negotiate with them," he told CNN. 
 
 "I don't know if that was tried or people thought there was too much danger but it does seem very unfortunate that a lethal shot was required." 
 
 Maynard has said that tranquilizers may not have taken effect in time to save the boy while the dart might have agitated the animal, worsening the situation. Animal expert Jeff Corwin agreed that tranquilizers may have taken too long. 
 
 "... In some situations, depending on what the medication is, it can take upward to 10 to 15 minutes," Corwin said. "It may take multiple shots." 
 
 Many pointed out that a human life was at stake -- especially that of a child -- and that's more important than that of a gorilla. 
 
 @CNN it was the best decision that guaranteed the safety of the kid. You really want to risk a human life for a gorilla ? Stop it. — Danny (@Judge_No_1) May 30, 2016 
 
 Similar incidents, different endings 
 
 Although it was the first incident of its kind at Cincinnati Zoo's Gorilla World exhibit since it opened in 1978, similar cases have occurred with very different outcomes. 
 
 In 1986, a 5-year-old boy named Levan Merritt tumbled into the gorilla enclosure at Jersey Zoo in the United Kingdom. Video filmed by a bystander showed Levan lying on the ground, bleeding from the head and unconscious. 
 
 The footage shows Jambo, a male gorilla, approaching the boy as if to check on him, extending a hand to stroke his back. When Merritt comes to, wailing, Jambo, seemingly startled by the cries, sets off in a different direction. Zookeepers immediately move in to save the boy. 
 
 A decade later, a 3-year-old boy fell nearly 20 feet into the gorilla enclosure at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago. 
 
 This time, a female gorilla named Binti Jua picked up the unconscious boy, while carrying her own infant on her back, and guarded him from other gorillas. 
 
 In an incredible show of maternal care, Binti took him right to a door so that zookeepers could retrieve him. 
 
 PETA: Captivity not acceptable 
 
 Although gorillas are known to be unpredictable -- not always the gentle giants the world saw in these two cases -- the animal advocacy group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said the larger concept of zoos is the root of the problem. 
 
 The animal rights organization said on Twitter the tragic episode was the latest proof that "even under the 'best' circumstances ... captivity is never acceptable for gorillas or other primates." 
 
 Others pointed out that in the end, the odds were stacked against the gorilla. 
 
 Humans imprison gorilla. Human enters gorilla prison. Gorilla gets shot dead for being near human. Humanity is a disease. — daniel (@13forests) May 30, 2016 
 
 Maynard said the zoo plans to reopen the exhibit to the public after a thorough assessment. 
 
 "The exhibit will be completely safe when it reopens." ||||| Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE GORILLA SHOT AFTER CHILD GETS INTO ENCLOSURE How boy got into gorilla enclosure | 0:51 How a 3-year-old boy dropped into the Gorilla World exhibit at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. The Enquirer/Mike Nyerges 1 of 5 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE GORILLA SHOT AFTER CHILD GETS INTO ENCLOSURE Mother calls 911 about child who fell in gorilla moat | 0:49 Listen to the 911 call from Michelle Gregg, whose son fell into the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden's Gorilla World exhibit on Saturday. Provided 2 of 5 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE GORILLA SHOT AFTER CHILD GETS INTO ENCLOSURE 911 call about child who fell into Gorilla World moat | 1:31 Listen to the 911 call. Provided 3 of 5 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE GORILLA SHOT AFTER CHILD GETS INTO ENCLOSURE 'It was a life threatening situation' says director of Cincinnati Zoo | 2:35 Thane Maynard, director of the Cincinnati Zoo, gives details about Harambe, the gorilla shot and killed Saturday after a 4-year-old boy fell into a shallow moat surrounding the zoo's gorilla exhibit. The Enquirer/Cara Owsley The Enquirer/Cara Owsley 4 of 5 Skip in Skip x Embed x Share CLOSE GORILLA SHOT AFTER CHILD GETS INTO ENCLOSURE Mourning Harambe | 1:11 Vigil at Cincinnati Zoo recalls rare gorilla who was fatally shot Saturday after child fell into exhibit habitat. The Enquirer/Mark Curnutte 5 of 5 Last VideoNext Video How boy got into gorilla enclosure 
 
 Mother calls 911 about child who fell in gorilla moat 
 
 911 call about child who fell into Gorilla World moat 
 
 'It was a life threatening situation' says director of Cincinnati Zoo 
 
 Mourning Harambe 
 
 A child touches the head of a gorilla statue where flowers have been placed outside the Gorilla World exhibit at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Sunday, May 29, 2016, in Cincinnati. On Saturday, a special zoo response team shot and killed Harambe, a 17-year-old gorilla, that grabbed and dragged a 4-year-old boy who fell into the gorilla exhibit moat. Authorities said the boy is expected to recover. He was taken to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. (Photo: John Minchillo, AP) 
 
 Update, Wednesday morning: A 3-year-old boy was examined further by his doctor after falling into a Cincinnati Zoo gorilla enclosure Saturday. The incident resulted in the shooting and killing a gorilla to ensure the boy's safety, zoo officials said. 
 
 In a statement from the boy's family released Wednesday morning, the family said the boy is "still doing well." 
 
 "We continue to praise God for His grace and mercy, and to be thankful to the Cincinnati Zoo for their actions taken to protect our child," the family said in the statement. "We are also very appreciative for the expressions of concern and support that have been sent to us. Some have offered money to the family, which we do not want and will not accept. 
 
 "If anyone wishes to make a gift, we recommend a donation to the Cincinnati Zoo in Harambe’s name.” 
 
 A family spokeswoman said the family is still declining all interview requests. 
 
 Earlier reporting: A statue outside the temporarily closed Gorilla World became a makeshift memorial Sunday. Visitors left flowers and cards in honor of Harambe, the gorilla shot and killed Saturday after a 3-year-old boy fell into a shallow moat surrounding the Cincinnati Zoo's gorilla exhibit. 
 
 The boy, who has not been identified, was released from Cincinnati Hospital Medical Center on Saturday night. 
 
 The boy's family said he is "doing just fine" and thanked zoo staff for their quick action, in a statement released through Gail Myers Public Relations LLC. 
 
 “We extend our heartfelt thanks for the quick action by the Cincinnati Zoo staff," the statement read. "We know that this was a very difficult decision for them, and that they are grieving the loss of their gorilla.” 
 
 Buy Photo How the incident unfolded. (Photo: The Enquirer/Mike Nyerges) 
 
 The statement did not identify the family or the boy. 
 
 The boy climbed through the barrier around the gorilla enclosure just before 4 p.m. Saturday, then fell 12 feet into the moat surrounding the exhibit. 
 
 On videos posted to social media, zoo visitors can be heard screaming. People can be heard yelling "stay calm" and "somebody call the zoo." One woman shouts "mommy loves you." 
 
 Harambe, a 17-year-old, 450-pound western lowland gorilla, stood over the boy. 
 
 Two female gorillas were also in the enclosure but they responded to zookeepers' calls to leave the exhibit. 
 
 One witness said the Harambe initially seemed protective of the boy but was alarmed by the screaming. 
 
 Videos posted on social media show the animal drag the boy through the moat before disappearing from view. 
 
 First responders saw Harambe "violently dragging and throwing the child," according to the Cincinnati Fire Department. 
 
 Fearing for the child's life, the zoo's dangerous animal response team shot and killed Harambe, according to Thane Maynard, director of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. 
 
 Maynard said though Harambe didn't attack the child, the animal's size and strength posed a great danger. "In an agitated situation, it may take quite a while for the tranquilizer to take effect," he said, "At the instant he would be hit, he would have a dramatic response." 
 
 The fire department said the boy was in between the gorilla's legs at the time of the shot. 
 
 The zoo's response team includes full-time keepers, veterinarians, maintenance, zoo leadership and security staff. Members are trained and certified annually by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. 
 
 Harambe, a 17-year-old western lowland gorilla, was killed Saturday after a four-year-old boy crawled through a barrier and fell into the moat in the gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. The gorilla dragged the boy around before emergency responders shot and killed the gorilla. The boy sustained non-life threatening injuries. (Photo: Jeff McCurry/ Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden) 
 
 Maynard said Saturday that no visitor has breached the exhibit in its 38-year history. 
 
 Gorilla World, which opened in 1978, is inspected regularly by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums and the United States Department of Agriculture, zoo officials said. 
 
 Maynard said his staff will study this incident and work toward continuous improvement for the safety of visitors and animals. 
 
 In a statement issued Sunday, a primatologist with animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said the zoo’s enclosure should have been surrounded by a “secondary barrier” to better separate humans from the gorillas. 
 
 “This tragedy is exactly why PETA urges families to stay away from any facility that displays animals as sideshows for humans to gawk at,” the primatologist, Julia Gallucci, said in the statement. 
 
 Gallucci’s statement continued: “Even under the ‘best’ circumstances, captivity is never acceptable for gorillas or other primates, and in cases like this, it's even deadly.” 
 
 In January, the zoo announced plans for a new gorilla habitat. The $12 million greenhouse expansion will double the size of the current exhibit and offer a naturalistic setting. 
 
 The indoor facility would also allow offer views of the gorillas year-round. It could open as early as next year. Maynard said Saturday's incident would not end the gorilla program, but the zoo has not commented on whether it has affected plans for the expansion. 
 
 Eula Ray, of Hamilton, whose son is a curator for the zoo, touches a sympathy card beside a gorilla statue outside the Gorilla World exhibit at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Sunday, May 29, 2016, in Cincinnati. On Saturday, a special zoo response team shot and killed Harambe, a 17-year-old gorilla, that grabbed and dragged a 4-year-old boy who fell into the gorilla exhibit moat. Authorities said the boy is expected to recover. He was taken to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. (Photo: John Minchillo, AP) 
 
 On Sunday, the zoo was open and many visitors laid flowers at gorilla statue near the exhibit. 
 
 Tony and Melisa Bruce, of Delhi Township, were among the zoo visitors who stopped by the makeshift memorial Sunday afternoon. 
 
 “Parents just aren’t paying attention to what’s going on,” said Tony Bruce. He said he’d seen a parent encourage a child to climb up a post at the cheetah exhibit earlier that day. 
 
 “It’s just heartbreaking all the way around,” Melisa Bruce said. “I do feel that the zoo did what they felt they had to do, unfortunately.” 
 
 Like Tony Bruce, many commenters on social media criticized the boy's parents. Some even called for charges against the boy's parents. 
 
 Cincinnati Police Department spokesman Lt. Steve Saunders said police are not considering charging the boy's parents. 
 
 A Facebook group called Justice for Harambe gathered more than 7,500 "likes" in less than a day. 
 
 "This page was created to raise awareness of Harambe's murder," the page states. "We wish to see charges brought against those responsible!" 
 
 A Change.org petition was created Sunday morning by a user named Shelia Hurt also called for action against the boy's parents. By Sunday evening, the petition had gathered more than 17,500 signatures. 
 
 A second petition asked state legislators to hold zoo visitors legally accountable if their actions result in harm or death of an endangered animal. 
 
 Plans for a memorial vigil at the zoo from noon to 2 p.m. Monday were announced on Facebook, as well. Organizers said they do not want the event to be a protest against the zoo, but instead reflect compassion for the loss. 
 
 Reporter Kevin Grasha contributed. 
 
 EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to say the boy is 3 years old. Police said late Tuesday they had received "conflicting reports" on the boy's age but confirmed Tuesday that he is 3. 
 
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– Did the gorilla have to die? The Cincinnati Zoo is facing an angry backlash for shooting Harambe, an endangered gorilla, dead after a 4-year-old boy fell in its enclosure Saturday, CNN reports. Protesters who accuse the zoo of using excessive force gathered outside the zoo Sunday and the #JusticeforHarambe movement has started a petition to have the boy's parents investigated for negligence. The zoo, however, says that while it is devastated by the death of the male western lowland gorilla, the boy was in imminent danger and tranquilizers would not have worked quickly enough. A witness says that after the boy fell 15 feet into in the enclosure, the gorilla seemed protective at first, but he became agitated as visitors screaming and started dragging the boy through a moat. A witness tells CNN that to get into the enclosure when his mother was distracted, the boy had to "climb under something, through some bushes and then into the moat." He was released from a hospital on Saturday night and his parents issued a statement thanking the zoo and saying the boy is "doing just fine," the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. "We know that this was a very difficult decision for them, and that they are grieving the loss of their gorilla," they said. The BBC notes that a similar incident in Britain in 1986 had a happier ending. When a 5-year-old boy fell into a gorilla enclosure on the island of Jersey and fractured his skull, a male silverback named Jambo stood guard, stroking the boy and keeping other gorillas away until he was rescued.