Killing of Harambe the gorilla sparks debate over zoos

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In a decision that prompted controversy around the world, Cincinnati zoo keepers shot and killed a gorilla named Harambe on May 28 in order to safeguard a child.

The four-year-old boy fell into Harambe's enclosure, and was dragged around by the silverback gorilla. 

 In the wake of Harambe's death, there has been substantial criticism of the young boy's parents, and fury from animal rights' activists.

This conversation has sparked a debate about the practice of captive breeding as many question why the gorilla was in a zoo in the first place.

I'd rather see the money in the effort going to maintaining and preserving wildlife populations.- Marc Bekoff, on breeding programs as a conservation strategy

The Current discusses the benefits breeding programs may have for conservation, and potential alternatives to this strategy. 

It sustains populations that have a high level of genetic diversity and provides an opportunity to show family groups in the zoo.- Kristen Lukas, on breeding programs in zoos

•      Marc Bekoff, a professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at University of Colorado, and author of Rewilding Our Hearts: Building Pathways of Compassion and Coexistence.

•   Kristen Lukas, director of Conservation and Science at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and chair of the Gorilla Species Survival Plan for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

This segment was produced by The Current's Lara O'Brien and Ines Colabrese.