Featured image credit: Change.org

RIP Harambe, a primeape taken in his prime. A reminder that we must all face the reaper eventually - some of us sooner than others.

Debate rages on whether Harmabe was trying to hurt the four-year-old child or to save him, and whether the shooting was a necessary evil or he could have just been tranquillised.

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"I'm your phantom dance partner. I'm your shadow. I'm not anything more" - Haruki Murakami



But for many of us his death is still too hard to think about - just another reminder that 2016 has been the cruellest year in living memory. We can at least take solace in the fact his memory lives on, immortalised in memes.

Now the public, in a heart-warming ode to Harambe, has begun a petition for him to be immortalised as a Pokémon.

"Bush did Harambe" sign pops up on national TV pic.twitter.com/QlqP0pdCKG

- Joel Franco (@OfficialJoelF) July 21, 2016

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The petition, created on Change.org, has amassed just over 25,000 signatures so far. It reads: "Harambe deserves to live on forever in our hearts. Support this petition if you want Harambe to become a Pokémon."

when people say harambe was just a gorilla pic.twitter.com/QJMkDnkcOT

- lola (@harleenqvinzel) August 2, 2016

The creator of the petition, known only as Eric CreamyMemes, has also mocked up some images of what a Harambe Pokémon could look like were Nintendo and Niantic to heed his call.

Coming soon to Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon. pic.twitter.com/sWqfFmhqgq

- Shigeru Miyamoto (@RealShigeruM) August 9, 2016

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They've chosen to list him as a ghost/fighting monster, which is cool, but I think it's also important he's afforded 'legendary' status.

RIP Harambe. A senseless death.

Words by James Dawson

