Dad Puts Daughter in Cage With 300-pound Gorilla & Brags About It (VIDEO)

by Julie Ryan Evans September 17, 2012 at 10:20 PM

Gorilla and toddler If you've seen the "Gorilla Carries Toddler" video that's been circulating on the web, the first thing you think is, awwww, how adorable, I've always wanted a gorilla as pet. Then it hits you, and all of a sudden you're thinking more along the lines of holy sh#t someone actually put a toddler in a cage with a real live gorilla, alone, WTF?

The video, taken 22 years ago, features 18-month-old Tansy, who was put in the cage by her father, Damian Aspinall, owner of a wild animal park in England. The footage shows the massive animal picking up the little girl and carrying her like a doll and the two playing happily together. Aspinall only recently released the footage as part of a fundraising effort for a foundation dedicated to the conservation of gorillas, and he told ABC he didn't do so earlier because he feared there might be a backlash.

Um, you think?

I'm sorry, but I don't care how sweet and gentle they seem, gorillas are wild animals. It's easy for him to sit back now and tout this lovely video, but it doesn't erase the fact that what he did was highly irresponsible and dangerous. It could have gone so wrong so quickly, and just because they got lucky doesn't mean bragging about it now is okay.

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I'm a big believer in letting parents do what they think is right for their own children within limits, but this clearly crosses any reasonable limits. I don't think he intentionally set out to harm her, but he definitely put her in harm's way for no reason but to prove a point. And no child's life should be put at risk for that.

Watch the video and see what you think.

Do you think this dad was irresponsible?

Image via YouTube

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Filed Under: in the news, toddler health

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Julie Ryan Evans

can be found writing from coffee houses wherever she may be. The quality of her days is largely influenced by the seat she nabs and whether a protein plate is available.

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Comments 24

Nonmember comment from AmandaCM

September 17, 2012 at 10:47 PM

I saw this video on GMA this morning. It seems very crazy, but then you hear the story and that it happened 18 yrs ago, etc. when rules were different. This was a touching story.

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curious1145

September 18, 2012 at 1:00 AM

AmandaCM,regardless of what the rules were, common sense was around 18 years ago I believe. Too bad this father didn't have any.

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easunshine

September 18, 2012 at 2:00 AM

Man hush. Nobody does this now, but people still let their toddlers climb all over and play with their giant family dogs. Say all you want that it's different, but people still scratch their head in confusion when their kid gets bit by aforementioned loving family pet.

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momavanessa

September 18, 2012 at 3:04 AM

Oh yes like all animals are evil and out to get you!!! I am sorry but there are LOVING animals!

Some people tend to forget humans flip out and lash out too. NOT just some animals.

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Nyctimene

September 18, 2012 at 5:40 AM

I'd let my child alone with a gorilla before i'd let my child alone with a dog, even my own.

I've watched dozens of documentaries and done quite a bit of study on gorillas and while their size can make them intimidating, they're actually the gentlest of all primates. I have only heard of one fatal gorilla attack on humans. That's it. One. How many thousands of dog attacks are there on people in the US alone, let alone world wide? Thousands. Hundred of thousands in fact. But people don't give it a second thought about letting their dogs alone with anyone and everyone pretty much. Visitors, their kids, babies.

Gorillas tend to be incredibly peaceful and the majority of their confrontrations are bluffing and not actually physical anyway. They very rarely get physical with each other, let alone people. And this is a gorilla he knew well and that knew him.

I think people are just having a knee-jerk reaction to a 'wild' (not really) animal or seeing a small child near a big powerful animal without actually knowing anything about the disposition and history of that type of animal and especially that animal specifically.

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AzaleaMichelle

September 18, 2012 at 8:25 AM

I thought the video was beautiful.

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Nonmember comment from Lili

September 18, 2012 at 9:36 AM

Yes it's true a dog can attack as well bite whatever. But it' doesnt weigh 300 lbs., have arms strong enough to squeeze or throw the child much less the strength to bounce on the child. A gorilla has that natural instinct to protect and when it feels threatened. They are more aggressive than other animals, the power in one hit can kill automatically. Imagine if the gorilla would have felt threatened if the father tried to take away his child. It could have ended oh so bad. This was pure luck.

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Mrscjones

September 18, 2012 at 9:38 AM

Gorillas have never hurt a child they usually tend to take care of them like their baby. You remember when the kid fell in the gorilla enclosure and the gorilla protected him.

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BeckyP.

September 18, 2012 at 9:54 AM

I think this video though touching, is also a case of poor judgment. I know that animals can be sweet and loving but when you're a parent, at least in my case, your instinct is to protect your child and not expose them to a potentially fatal situation. There are a lot of people who seem to be defending this father and I would like to see what their decision would be in this situation if actually faced with it. I would like to see if these mothers would actually say yes to letting their toddler play in an enclosed structure, alone with an adult gorilla. I'm pretty sure their instinct would kick in and the answer would be no. At least that's the answer it should be if the best interest of their child is their main priority.

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Nonmember comment from HS

September 18, 2012 at 9:57 AM

I can't help but remember the gorilla who picked up the child that fell into its enclosure and protected him from the other gorillas. I always got the impression that gorillas would be more gentle with a small child because toddlers are ape-like to begin with and would only appear to be a baby gorilla to an adult gorilla, if that makes sense.

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