The Cincinnati Zoo’s gorilla exhibit has reopened with a higher, reinforced barrier after a boy got inside and was dragged by a 400-pound gorilla, which was then shot and killed.
The exhibit reopened Tuesday, a day after a prosecutor said the 3-year-old had “scampered off” and his mother wouldn’t be charged.
Director Thane Maynard says the previous barrier passed inspections, but the zoo decided that upgrading it helps ensure both visitors and animals remain safe.
The boy apparently climbed over the outer barrier May 28 before falling about 15 feet into a shallow moat. A response team shot the 17-year-old western lowland gorilla to protect the child.
That set off a torrent of criticism. Some people vilified the zoo. Others suggested the mother should have watched the boy more closely.
