Cincinnati Zoo Finally Replaces Harambe

A little over a year ago, the Cincinnati Zoo shot and killed Harambe the Gorilla with a single rifle shot after a child accidentally fell into its enclosure. It was a killing that shook the internet for months, as memers everywhere rallied around Harambe and commemorated him into a meme that would seemingly live on forever. But all things must pass. Harambe the Meme, much like Harambe the Gorilla, is gone. We must move on.

Yesterday, the Cincinnati Zoo introduced Mshindi, a 29-year-old western lowland silverback. Mshindi is the first new gorilla to take up residence in the zoo since the death of Harambe.

“Mshindi has settled in nicely,” said Ron Evans, the zoo’s curator of primates. According to Evans, the staff from both Cincinnati and Louisville Zoos worked closely together to examine Mshindi’s health, trained behaviors and preferences to ensure a smooth transition in the days leading up to his relocation. Once settled in, Mshindi will rotate outside along with two other female gorillas, Chewie and Mara, as part of the zoo's ongoing Gorilla World exhibit.

While the Cincinnati Zoo, which has faced hellish public scrutiny in the aftermath of the incident, announced Mshindi's arrival with an overtone of enthusiasm, conspicuously absent from Evans’ statement was any mention of Harambe, presenting an opportunity for many on Twitter and elsewhere to commemorate the death of Harambe one last time. Brocentric humor site Total Frat Move even went so far as to write My Dick Is Not Out For Mshindi, a reference to the Dicks Out For Harambe slogan that sprang up a little after Harambe's death.

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— Milos Jovcic (@Mish_2012) September 18, 2017

You can add a new gorilla, but you can't replace an American hero. #RIPHarambe https://t.co/7aNg7fHDwc

— Brandon Saho (@BrandonSaho) September 14, 2017

Who in the heck allowed the Cincinnati zoo to get another gorilla?? #RIPHarambe #NeverForget https://t.co/YeTWyAhQpB

— Kellie Dominick (@kdomm) September 14, 2017

The jury may still be out on the Cincinnati Zoo, but with its introduction of Mshinidi, the Internet may finally, and hopefully, begin to heal.

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