Animal Rights Groups Angered Over Silverback Gorilla Shooting05:22
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May 31, 2016

A boy brings flowers to put beside a statue of a gorilla outside the shuttered Gorilla World exhibit at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Monday, May 30, 2016, in Cincinnati. A gorilla named Harambe was killed by a special zoo response team on Saturday after a 4-year-old boy slipped into an exhibit and it was concluded his life was in danger. (/John Minchillo/AP)

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Animal rights advocates are upset over the shooting death of an endangered silverback gorilla by Cincinnati Zoo, after a 4-year old boy fell into his enclosure. The death has sparked debate over the practice of keeping animals in captivity. Zoo officials say they believed the boy’s life was at risk, and were forced to kill the 17-year old gorilla to protect the boy.

Here & Now's Robin Young speaks with Vicki Croke, Here & Now's animal reporter.

Watch a video of the incident

Guest

Vicki Croke, WBUR and Here & Now‘s reporter on animal issues. She tweets @VickiCroke.

This segment aired on May 31, 2016.

Morning Edition

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