Brit who was saved by ape in 1986 says Cincinnati Zoo was right to shoot Harambe to save boy
Levan Merritt was five when he tumbled into Jersey Zoo gorilla enclosure 30 years ago
A BRITISH man saved by a gorilla after falling into its pen 30 years ago says a US zoo was right to kill silverback Harambe after a similar plunge on Saturday.
Levan Merritt was five when he tumbled into the gorilla enclosure at Jersey Zoo.
His fall sparked a rescue bid by keepers — but did not end with great ape Jambo being shot.
Yet when Isaiah Gregg, four, fell into the gorilla enclosure at Cincinnati Zoo at the weekend, 28st Harambe was shot dead after grabbing him and pulling him through water.
In 1986, Levan was approached by Jambo, who caressed him. He was plucked to safety by two keepers and an ambulance man who shimmied down into the pen, tied him to a harness and winched him out.
The only weapon they had between them was a small stick.
They made the correct decision to save the boy.
Levan Merritt
Levan, now 35, said: “I know what it’s like to come face to face with an enormous gorilla — absolutely terrifying.
“But my experience taught me they are also incredibly caring.”
Levan fell 20ft on to the enclosure’s concrete floor after climbing the railings to get a better view.
He knocked himself unconscious briefly, breaking his arm and fracturing his skull. His horrified parents watched as 18st silverback Jambo wandered over serenely to his motionless body before gently stroking the boy’s back with his immensely powerful arm.
The ape even stood guard over Levan, protecting him from other curious gorillas.
When the boy came round and began to scream, the gentle giant retreated as though disturbed by the noise — rather than aggravated.
As with Isaiah in Ohio, the tense operation was filmed by onlookers and went around the world — making Jambo a hero.
Levan said: “Watching the American video brought it all back. I felt for the boy but also felt for the gorilla. Did they have to kill it? Well, he wouldn’t have known his own strength compared to a child, having lived in captivity and never touched a human infant.
“And he does grab the boy and drags him into the water at a terrifying speed. The four-year-old is tiny and could easily have been injured. So they made the correct decision to save the boy’s life.
“In my case, Jambo made sure nothing bad could happen.”
Fall ... Jambo the gorilla stands guard over Levan
Levan, of Billingshurst, West Sussex, also noted the differing reactions from the crowds in 1986 and 2016. During his video clip they are largely calm, applauding when the boy is brought up.
Fast forward 30 years and the scene at Cincinnati Zoo can be described as one of chaos and panic.
Those visitors watching are screaming, running around, jostling to get a better view with their camera phones and shouting at the child in the enclosure.
And within minutes an armed zookeeper arrives to shoot 17-year-old Harambe in the head from the safety of the observation area.
Levan, who now works for a timber building company, admits his experience at Jersey Zoo changed his life. He said: “I went back to Jersey to see Jambo five or six times and I felt a bond with him. They even gave me a stuffed gorilla toy which I still have.”
Jambo died in 1992, aged 32, after suffering a ruptured artery and Levan was invited back to the zoo to commemorate his life.
He never blamed his parents for his fall, saying: “They felt guilty but I always told them it was my fault. I was a young lad, always wandering off, exploring things.”
Levan, who is now married to 22-year-old Amanda, has children of his own — a three-month-old daughter, Hope, and two sons Riley, two, and Leo, three.
He takes the boys to Drusillas Zoo in Alfriston, East Sussex, but says: “I don’t let them go too close to the enclosure walls and fences.”