CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Zoo says it will look at whether it needs to reinforce the barriers around its gorilla exhibit even though it considers the enclosure more secure than what’s required.
Meanwhile, the family of the 3-year-old boy who got into the enclosure says he is “still doing well.”
The family released a statement Wednesday morning through a representative saying he has had a checkup by his doctor. They say they continue to “praise God,” and are thankful to the zoo for “their actions taken to protect our child.
The area remains closed after the zoo’s dangerous animal response team killed a gorilla over the weekend to protect a 3-year-old boy who had fallen into the enclosure.
The incident Saturday was captured on cell phone video (above).
The Gorilla World exhibit in Cincinnati was among the first of its kind when it opened nearly 30 years ago.
But most zoos across the country with gorillas now have open viewing areas with a series of barriers like the one in Cincinnati.
Some critics have blamed the boy’s parents for allowing the child out of their sight while at least two animal rights groups say it’s clear the barrier wasn’t adequate.