The video will start in 8 Cancel

News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Tragic gorilla Harambe lost his mother and brother in a tragic gas accident at a zoo nearly 15 years ago.

The magnificent creature was a baby when Kayla, who was 10, and her one-year-old son, Makoko, were killed in a gas leak at Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville Texas in 2002.

Another female called Uzuri, two, also died and several others were injured.

The 17-year-old silverback gorilla was shot on Saturday after four-year-old boy Isaiah Dickerson fell into his enclosure .

The Brownsville Herald reported that fire and zoo officials believe a plastic chlorine container near a heater began to leak and release gas.

(Image: FACEBOOK/Dan Van Coppenolle)

Two of the animals required oxygen. The fire department reported larger gorillas kept at least one young gorilla out of the reach of rescue workers during the incident.

"We're dealing with another young male that is in serious condition," deputy zoo director and zoologist Patrick Burchfield told the paper at the time.

It is not known if that gorilla is Harambe, who would have been one at the time.

A clip of Harambe at the zoo arounbd a year before the accident is now circulating on social media, showing Harambe as a one-year-old, affectionately hugging the keeper as she shows him off to schoolchildren.

(Image: FACEBOOK/Dan Van Coppenolle)

Dan Van Coppenolle, of Brownsville, Texas, shared the video on Facebook. The teacher won a competition to name the baby gorilla back in 2000.

He wrote: "Little clip of a Harambe sighting on a class field trip to Gladys Porter Zoo around 2000 or 2001. Kids could not wait to see him."

The video has now been viewed more than 2,500 times.

Harambe was born on May 27, 1999 at Gladys Porter Zoo.

(Image: Facebook)

The name Harambe means 'working together, caring and sharing' in Swahili.

He spent his first 15 years at Gladys Porter Zoo before being moved to Cincinnati Zoo , Ohio, where he spent the next two years.

But his life was sadly brought to an end over the weekend when keepers at Cincinnati Zoo were forced to shoot him after a young boy fell into his enclosure.

Since the incident, there has been worldwide controversy, with some people claiming the gorilla should have not been shot.

Eyewitnesses said he was showing no aggressive behaviour towards the boy.

(Image: NBC News)

It is claimed that screams from those watching the unfolding situation panicked Harambe, causing him to drag Isaiah at a quick speed across the water.

Speaking to Mirror.co.uk, ape expert Dr Emily Bethell, a senior lecturer in Primate Behaviour at Liverpool John Moores University, revealed the gorilla's body language showed he was not threatening the child .

She gave a commentary over the video which you can see below.

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

Dr Bethell said: “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, was obviously when the gorilla moved and dragged him - that could have caused some harm - but the gorilla’s body language is definitely protective.”

In one video, the boy is seen sitting calmly next to the massive animal.

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

The gorilla even appears to wrap his arms around the boy.

At one point the boy and gorilla even appear to hold hands.

Read more:

Dr Bethell continued: “I would speculate that the boy is a new stimulus, he’s something novel.

“The gorillas would never have seen a child at such close quarters.

“The child obviously wasn’t posing any threat to the gorillas so there’s no need to attack him and I think it’s fortunate for the boy that one gorilla came over and effectively shielded him and kept the other gorillas away.

(Image: Cincinnati Zoo)

“I think it looks mostly like a case of extreme interest by the gorillas.”

The boy's mum, Michelle, faced criticism from social media users and animal rights campaigners, who claim she should have been keeping a closer eye on her child.

Some animal lovers even suggested she and the boy's father, Deonne Dickerson, should have been shot and killed instead of the gorilla Harambe.

Responding to the criticism on Facebook, she said: "I want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers today.

Read more:Donald Trump says Cincinnati gorilla zookeepers had "no choice"

"What started off as a wonderful day turned into a scary one.

"For those of you that have seen the news or been on social media that was my son that fell in the gorilla exhibit at the zoo.

"God protected my child until the authorities were able to get to him."