Harambe: Cincinnati Zoo deactivates Facebook and Twitter accounts after pleading for gorilla jokes to stop

Killed: Harambe was shot dead after a three-year-old boy fell into his enclosure
Cincinnati Zoo/Reuters
Hatty Collier23 August 2016

A US zoo has deactivated its social media accounts less than 24 hours after it asked people to stop making memes and jokes about its decision to shoot dead gorilla Harambe.

The Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio has called for an end to a stream of internet jokes made after the silverback gorilla was killed when it picked up a three-year-old boy who fell into its enclosure.

It said staff were “not amused” by memes and jokes about the dead gorilla, which were stopping them from moving on from the tragedy.

Now, the zoo has deactivated its Twitter and Facebook accounts but the move failed to make Harambe any less of a talking point on social media.

Deactivated: The zoo has shut down its Facebook and Twitter accounts
Twitter

One Twitter user wrote: “Cincinnati zoo deactivated their twitter. This reminds me of the time they deactivated that mighty gorilla known to friends as Harambe.”

Another name Josh said: “@CincinnatiZoo deleted their Twitter just like they deleted Harambe.”

Lubs tweeted: “Cincinnati zoo trying to kill the meme like they did Harambe.”

On Monday, Thane Maynard, Cincinnati Zoo director, told reporters: "We are not amused by the memes, petitions and signs about Harambe,"

"Our zoo family is still healing, and the constant mention of Harambe makes moving forward more difficult for us.

“We are honoring Harambe by redoubling our gorilla conservation efforts and encouraging others to join us."

The shooting of Harambe sparked an internet frenzy including debates on whether zoo staff were right to kill him and led to online abuse being sent to the boy’s mother.

Numerous petitions were set up following Harambe’s death with some calling for him to be turned into a Pokemon Go character or put on a dollar note.

In July this year, a giant mural set up to commemorate the ‘death’ of Taylor Swift’s career was defaced with Harambe's name.

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