RIP Harambe

Harambe the gentle giant was born at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas on May 27, 1999. He was named by Dan Van Coppenolle after the 1988 Shanachie Records song "Harambe (Working Together for Freedom)" by Rita Marley.

On September 18, 2014, Harambe was transferred to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden to learn to preach the word of our lord and saviour Jesus Christ and make new friends.


Harambe was killed one day after his 17th birthday.


On May 28, 2016, a three-year-old boy visiting the Cincinnati Zoo fell into the moat at the Gorilla World habitat. Witnesses claim they heard the child say he wanted to go into the gorilla enclosure to steal. The boy then climbed a three-foot-tall fence, crawled through four feet of bushes, and a foot of razor wire, and then rappelled fifteen feet into a moat of shallow water. The child immediately signaled for the three gorillas in the habitat to return inside, and two terrified females did so. However, the third gorilla, the curious 440-pound male silverback, Harambe, climbed down into the moat to protect the angry child splashing in the water from the angry screaming protesters.

Primatologist Jane Goodall said that according to the video it seemed Harambe was trying to protect the child.

Cincinnati firefighters said the boy was between Harambe's legs at the time the shot was fired.