Cincinnati Zoo

The mother of the toddler who climbed through a barrier and fell into the Cincinnati Zoo gorilla enclosure will not face charges. That's the decision from Hamilton County Prosecutor Joseph Deters. The zoo fatally shot a gorilla while rescuing the child.

Last Saturday, the Cincinnati Zoo's Dangerous Animal Response Team was forced to shoot and kill a critically-endangered gorilla after it began dragging a 4-year old boy who had fallen into the exhibit.

After the boy climbed through a public barrier and fell into a moat, 17-year old Harambe, a male gorilla, grabbed the child and began violently dragging and throwing him around.

Update 06/01/16:  The family of the child who fell into the exhibit issued this statement Wednesday:

“Our child has had a checkup by his doctor and 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.

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.”

The family continues to decline all interview and meeting requests.

Update 05/31/16:  Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters issued this statement Tuesday morning: 

“The incident at the Cincinnati Zoo involving the young child who fell into the gorilla enclosure is under investigation by the Cincinnati Police Department.  Once their investigation is concluded, they will confer with our office on possible criminal charges.  When the investigation and review are complete, we will update the media.”

Dr. George Uetz is a professor of biology at the University of Cincinnati and Alex Sweger is a graduate student and together they have discovered a new species of wolf spider with audible mating songs that sound a lot like a cat purr. Last summer they presented their findings to the Acoustical Society of America. They sat down with Cincinnati Zoo Director Thane Maynard to talk about wolf spiders and their mating songs.

Most crops grown for their fruits, nuts, seeds and fiber require pollination by insects, such as bees and butterflies. These pollinators are responsible for much of the food we eat and play a critical role in ensuring the production of seeds in most flowering plants.

Dr. John Kricher is longtime professor of biology at Wheaton College who teaches courses in ecology, ornithology, and vertebrate evolution.

Update 5:45 p.m.: A news release from the Cincinnati Zoo now says two bears, Berit and 26-year-old Little One "took advantage of an open den door" and got into a service hallway. The two are "resting in their den" and could be back for viewing as early as Friday.  

The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden kicks-off its annual Barrows Conservation Lecture Series this month. Over the years, the series has brought dozens of internationally acclaimed scientists, explorers and naturalists into town to address wildlife issues and global conservation efforts.

The third annual Great Tree Summit will take place Saturday, February 13, at the Cincinnati Zoo. The summit is presented by Taking Root, the campaign to restore our region’s tree canopy with a goal of planting two million trees by 2020. 

Two local educators went on adventures of a lifetime last year when they were picked to be Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic Education Grosvenor Teacher Fellows.  They and 33 other Fellows journeyed to places all over the world for hands-on experience and professional development.

This interview originally aired April 16, 2015.

  Jon Cohen is a correspondent with Science magazine and author of several books, including Almost Chimpanzee: Searching for What Makes Us Human, In Rainforests, Labs, Sanctuaries, and Zoos. He spoke recently with Thane Maynard from the Cincinnati Zoo about his interest in wildlife and his recent article called Zoo Futures.

Noel Rowe grew up in Cincinnati, worked at the Cincinnati Zoo as a young man, and his family has a long history of supporting the local environment – in fact, Rowe Woods at the Cincinnati Nature Center is named after his grandfather. 

"You say 'goodbye,' I say 'hello.'"

The Cincinnati Zoo is welcoming a new addition to its Manatee Springs exhibit. A two-year-old male named "BamBam" is joining 25-year-old "Betsy." BamBam was rescued in January from Desoto Canal in Brevard County, FL. The Zoo says he's "been receiving critical care for severe cold stress."

The film Trees in Trouble tells the story of America's urban and community forests,their history, their growing importance to our health, economy and environment - and the serious threats they now face. The film shows how community-wide efforts can save and protect our urban forests for future generations.

Kharkiv, Ukraine, one of Cincinnati's sister cities, and a city known for the manufacturing of machinery and electronics, is trying to become more energy efficient.

A delegation of government workers traveled to the U.S. to learn how Greater Cincinnati recycles, uses solar energy, filters water, and generates heat and electricity.