Before the heartbreaking incident at the Cincinnati Zoo, where a young boy and a massive gorilla met under tragic circumstances, there had been similar encounters with far different outcomes. In 1986, a 5-year-old boy named Levan Merritt tumbled into a gorilla enclosure and lost consciousness. Yet, in this case, the encounter ended without the need for lethal force.
In 1996, an incredible moment unfolded when a 3-year-old boy fell over 20 feet into a gorilla enclosure. A remarkable silverback gorilla named Jambo approached the unconscious child, gently stroking his back as if to comfort him. In a show of surprising tenderness, Jambo eventually carried the boy near the exhibit’s door and calmly stepped aside, allowing zookeepers to safely retrieve the child.