Primate-behavior experts concur with Harambe's protective non-aggressive intentions:
Professor Emily Bethell (primate behaviorist): "He was clearly being protective towards the boy. There were no signs of the gorilla being aggressive in the sense that he wanted to hurt the boy or anything like that. The biggest threat to the boy I would say is obviously when the gorilla moved and dragged him, that could have caused some harm, but the gorilla’s body language is definitely protective." [1]
Professor Gisela Kaplan (primate behaviorist): "I can tell you silverbacks are protectors of their group. If there’s an unusual thing happening, (Harambe) needs to investigate. The fact that he went over to the child is absolutely natural behaviour but it doesn't mean he was aggressive. If he was going to attack he would’ve warned him first. The first thing they do is charge and beat their chests and as far as I know that didn’t happen." [2]
Professor Frans De Waal (primatologist): "Seeing more of the videos, I got the impression that Harambe was mostly protective. He showed a combination of protection and confusion. He stood over the child, held him up, moved/dragged him through the water (at least once very roughly), stood over him again. Much of his reaction may have been triggered by public noise and yelling. There was no moment of acute aggression, as also admitted by the zoo director. If the gorilla had wanted to kill the child, one bang of his fist would have done it. People have no idea of their superhuman strength. Yet, he didn’t perform any killing move. I should also clarify, since people on Facebook have said that gorillas are dangerous predators, that this is entirely wrong. A gorilla doesn’t look at a human child as something edible. [...] The one thing that reliably makes a gorilla male mad is another male who enters his territory or gets too close to his females and young. Harambe surely knew that he was not dealing with competition, hence had no reason to attack." [3]
Gorilla keeper
Richard Johnstone-Scott (gorilla keeper for 46 years): "It looked quite scary. But I understand that he was actually pulling the child away from where the people who were shouting and screaming out of concern for the little chap, he pulled him away from that area. And then when he stopped, it seems to me that he helped the boy to his feet, which was quite amazing. From what I can see on that film, I don’t think that Harambe meant to hurt that child. If he had intended to hurt that child it would’ve been over in seconds. It would’ve been wham, bang, and that would be the end of it." [4]
