• U.S.
  • animals

Cincinnati Zoo Deactivates Twitter Account Amid Flood of Harambe Mentions

2 minute read

The Cincinnati Zoo has appeared to have deactivated its Twitter account after saying it was “not amused” by the Internet’s many memes and mentions of Harambe, the gorilla slain at the zoo earlier this year in an incident that sparked national outrage.

The zoo’s Twitter page had been facing a flood of comments about Harambe even months after the 17-year-old western lowland gorilla was shot dead in May to save a 3-year-old boy who had crawled through a barrier and had fallen into the animal’s exhibit.

Social media user trying to visit the Cincinnati Zoo’s Twitter account Tuesday were redirected to a page that says: “Sorry, that page doesn’t exist!”

The zoo did not respond to requests for comment from TIME. When the Cincinnati Enquirer asked about the Twitter account being taken down, a zoo spokesperson said: “Thanks. We know,” according to the newspaper.

Cincinnati Zoo Director Thane Maynard had said in a statement to the Associated Press that the “constant mention of Harambe makes moving forward more difficult” for the zoo’s staff. “We are not amused by the memes, petitions and signs about Harambe,” he added.

Maynard’s Twitter account was hacked late Saturday by an apparent Harambe supporter, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

The zoo’s Facebook page was still up and running Tuesday.

More Must-Reads From TIME

Contact us at letters@time.com