Pittsburgh Zoo director responds to gorilla death, says human life always comes first

PITTSBURGH, Pa. — The president of the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium says human life always comes first.

Channel 11 asked for Dr. Barbara Baker’s response to the shooting death of a gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo.  Harabme was killed by the zoo’s dangerous animal response team after a 3-year-old boy got into the exhibit.

Baker says, “In the event human life was in danger, we would take the exact same action as Cincinnati.”

That applies to all dangerous animals.  The zoo has an emergency weapons team trained to shoot animals if necessary.

The Cincinnati exhibit will reopen on Tuesday with a reinforced, higher safety barrier.

A representative says the new barrier railing will be 42 inches tall, a half-foot higher than the one the boy apparently climbed over.

The zoo says the exhibit has been open 38 years without any problems and has passed multiple outside inspections.

An Ohio prosecutor is reviewing the investigation into the actions of the boy's family.  A decision on whether charges will be filed has not yet been made.

The family says the boy is doing well at home after being treated at a hospital.

Cox Media Group