Cincinnati Zoo officials have found themselves under immense public pressure following the shooting of an endangered 400lb (181kg) gorilla after a young boy fell into its enclosure.

The gorilla, named Harambe, was shot dead by a special response team after the boy climbed through a barrier at the Gorilla World exhibit before falling 12ft (3.6m) into a shallow moat.

Amateur footage shot by a member of the public appears to show the gorilla being protective of the child, though the animal also dragged him through the shallow moat in a rough manner.

Public response to the shooting has been significant, with a change.org petition calling for “Harambe’s Law” reaching more than 100,000 signatures in just a few days. If such a law was enacted, visitors could have legal charges brought against them should their actions harm an endangered animal such as Harambe. Celebrities have also taken to social media to give their take on the actions of the zoo, with Ricky Gervais, Brian May and Piers Morgan among those voicing their opinion.

It seems that some gorillas make better parents than some people.

— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) May 29, 2016

Why was this Gorilla murdered ? No trial - no reason. No excuse. Who will prosecute ? Bri https://t.co/g1baEqwojC

— Dr. Brian May (@DrBrianMay) May 29, 2016

No, it's the zoo's fault.

No 4-yr-old kid should ever be able to crawl into a gorilla compound. https://t.co/pSGysjnB1j— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 30, 2016

The zoo released a statement over the weekend, explaining its actions. The two female gorillas in the exhibit were recalled immediately while Harambe remained in the yard with the child. At that point the decision was made to terminate the gorilla with fears a tranquiliser could result in the boy being harmed if Harambe lashed out.

“The zoo security team’s quick response saved the child’s life. We are all devastated that this tragic accident resulted in the death of a critically-endangered gorilla,” said zoo director Thane Maynard. “This is a huge loss for the zoo family and the gorilla population worldwide.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and little boy.”