Tragedy strikes German Zoo

[Catherine]

The Krefeld Zoo in western Germany suffered tragic losses. Sky lanterns launched to celebrate the new year drifted freely over the city. The lanterns are paper and a fire source is placed inside and then they float away. This time they floated over the zoo and set a building on fire. The building houses the gorillas, Chimpanzees, orangutans and various bats, birds and monkeys. In all thirty animals have died. 
Dead are five orangutans, two gorillas and a chimp. A number of monkeys, bats and birds are dead as well. Two chimps were rescued and are in stable condition. The gorilla garden next to the building was saved so six other gorillas have survived.

The zoo staff are in shock and this will be a serious mourning period for them and for all the visitors who know the animals well.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/krefeld-zo...-1.5412299

It turns out these lanterns are illegal in Krefeld and in other parts of Germany. So this should not have happened. 
This is the fault of a dangerous way of celebrating the new year. There is no way setting loose dry flammable paper with a flame and letting it drift where it will is a good or safe idea. They could have caused any number of fires. They could have set woods on fire or housing or other zoo buildings. There is no way to control where they  drift. Because of a dangerous idea many animals died in fear in what was their place of safety.

I feel for the people who cared for these animals. Their grief must be terrible. Losing so many animals at once is hard for anyone to handle. 

[Catherine]

It has been confirmed that the fire was started by paper lanterns. The three women who launched them contacted the police and turned themselves in. 

https://globalnews.ca/news/6357237/germa...years-eve/

I think it was good of them to come forward. They certainly didn't mean to cause harm.
I don't know what should be done here.

One thought on the fire. Humans are grieving the loss. So are the surviving animals. The surviving gorillas have lost friends. The chimps have lost their home and everyone that lived there with them. Since they would have all been aware of each other, the survivors have a lot of trauma to deal with. How do you help a gorilla grieve a  loss like this. The keepers will find a way. They share a sense of loss with the other great apes. Maybe shared loss will help them all be supportive of each other. Sad as it is, it is also a learning experience.