Harambe's caretaker: 'He was like one of my sons'

Jerry Stones cut Harambe's umbilical cord when he was born. He spent more time with the slain 17-year-old silverback gorilla than anyone else.

Stones, the facilities director at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas, was Harambe’s caretaker for 15 years before the gorilla was transferred to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden in the hopes of breeding gorillas to raise the population of the critically endangered species.

“He was like one of my sons. He was beautiful and a true character — so mischievous and not aggressive. He would throw water on the female keepers before running back and hiding in the back of his exhibit like ‘Haha, I got you.’ He would take a keeper’s blanket and just run off. Very fun loving and so intelligent,” said the 74-year-old Stones.

“When he was very young, only 20 pounds, we’d take him to this grassy area with glass walls. He would climb the walls and try to escape, but the keepers would, of course, bring him down every time. Harambe was smart, he realized this was a game. If he climbed the wall and they didn’t rush over, he’d give them a look like ‘Come get me.’ Or, he’d clap his hands and fall backwards so they’d catch him,” he said of the 450-pound silverback.

“One time, we gave Harambe a stick that was too long. He ate the leaves, ate the bark, and then climbed to the top of the exhibit and put out all the lights in the exhibit,” he said.

While Stones remembered Harambe as peaceful and playful, he said gorillas possess tremendous strength and can be very dangerous.

“I could go in the cage with him and he would not attack me, but he might accidently kill me just by playing,” said Stones.

Harambe was fatally shot after police say a 3-year-old boy fell into the moat surrounding his exhibit Saturday.

Stones said he didn't want to engage in the speculation and finger pointing that has broken out on social media.

“Ninety-nine percent of people, on both sides of the fence, pro or con, don’t have a clue what they’re talking about and I’m not going to comment on it. I wasn’t there and they weren’t either,” said Stones.

Editorial: Zoo made the right call

Stones said the conversation about the viability of zoos following Harambe’s death is misguided.

“Zoos have a huge importance in getting children to love animals. They need to see them. They used to think gorillas were King Kong, but if you’re around them, you’ll see how beautiful they are,” he said. “A children’s zoo is so important. They touch the goat, donkey, they feel its warmth, the odor. They can finally tie that feeling to the bigger animals. If they never see anything other than a picture, they won’t understand the importance.”

Stones is starting the Harambe Fund, a crowdfunding campaign that will help wild gorillas.

He explained that “Harambe” is a Swahili word. It's a rallying cry that means "Pull together." He said he hopes Harambe’s legacy will reflect his namesake, bringing people together to protect gorillas everywhere.

The money from the fundraiser will go to the Mbeli Bai Study, which researches and protects the environment of lowland gorillas in the northwestern Congo basin. Stones said gorillas in that area face threats from heavy poaching and a shrinking environment.

“This isn’t life giving you lemons. This is a whole pile of rotting apples, so let’s try to make a decent pie,” he said. “Harambe tragically left us. Let’s see if we can do good for other gorillas.”