Latest news with #GermanLegalAssociationforAnimalProtectionLaw
Malay Mail
30-07-2025
- Malay Mail
Outcry after German zoo kills 12 baboons over space issues, feeds carcasses to predators
FRANKFURT, July 30 — A German zoo said Tuesday it had killed 12 baboons due to overcrowding in their enclosure, with animal rights activists breaking into the zoo in protest. Police arrested seven demonstrators who briefly entered the zoo complex in the southern city of Nuremberg. 'We know that many will find this decision hard to understand, that it has annoyed, upset or infuriated them,' the management of the zoo said in a statement. The zoo initially announced plans to kill some of its baboons in February last year, saying that their group had 'reached a size that exceeds the capacity of the enclosure, which was already expanded in 2009'. With the overpopulation causing 'an increase in conflicts with corresponding injuries to the animals', the zoo said that no suitable alternative to killing the animals could be found. But this argument did not convince animal rights activists, who staged a protest at the zoo on Tuesday. The zoo was closed on Tuesday for 'operational reasons', which the activists took to mean the zoo had been closed for the baboon cull. One of those arrested was a woman who had briefly glued herself to the ground behind the zoo's main entrance before being freed by police. Speaking at a press conference, Director Dag Encke said that Nuremberg zoo was acting according to the criteria set out by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). They stipulate that culling the animals can be a 'legitimate last resort to preserve the population', Encke said. The zoo's chief biologist Joerg Beckmann said that pregnant females and those being observed as part of a scientific study had not been killed. The dead baboons had been fed to the predators in the zoo, Beckmann said. Animal rights groups filed a criminal complaint Tuesday against the zoo for killing the baboons when they had been 'in perfect health'. 'Animal welfare laws permits the killing of vertebrates only if there is a reasonable cause,' said Christoph Maisack, head of the German Legal Association for Animal Protection Law (DJGT). 'Letting them breed too freely cannot constitute such a reason,' said Maisack. — AFP
Yahoo
30-07-2025
- Yahoo
Outcry after German zoo culled baboons due to overcrowding
A zoo in the southern German city of Nuremberg has culled 12 healthy Guinea baboons due to overcrowding in their enclosure, after which they were fed to predators. Seven animal rights activists were arrested on Tuesday after they entered the Tiergarten Nürnberg zoo in protest against the decision. One woman glued her hands to the ground near the entrance. Overcrowding had caused an "increase in conflicts" between the baboons and no alternative for re-housing them could be found, the zoo said. Christoph Maisack, head of the German Legal Association for Animal Protection Law, said letting the animals breed too freely "cannot constitute such a reason" for their killing. The zoo in Nuremberg had announced plans to kill some Guinea baboons last year, after its population exceeded 40 - more than the 25 that could be housed by a complex completed in 2009. Zoos in other countries that baboons had previously been sent to had also reached capacity and contraception measures had failed to slow the population growth, the zoo said. On Tuesday morning, the zoo announced that it was closing for "operational reasons", triggering demonstrators to climb over the zoo's fence near the entrance, where they were arrested. Later, the zoo confirmed that it had killed the baboons - none of which were pregnant females or part of scientific studies. The animals were shot, samples were taken for research purposes, then their bodies were fed to the zoo's predators. Dag Encke, the zoo's director, said the decision came after "yearslong consideration", and that the culling of animals can be a "legitimate last resort to preserve the population". Encke added that the action was in line with criteria set out by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). Animal rights groups have filed a criminal complaint against the zoo for culling baboons which were in "perfect health". A spokesperson for Pro Wildlife said the decision was "avoidable and illegal", adding: "Healthy animals had to be killed because the zoo maintained irresponsible and unsustainable breeding policies for decades." European zoos have previously sparked controversy for culling animals. In 2014, a zoo in Copenhagen culled a giraffe - named Marius - because his genes were too close to the other giraffes in the zoo's breeding programme. A post-mortem of the giraffe - during which the carcass was skinned, cut up and then fed to the lions - was broadcast live online. Why did Copenhagen Zoo kill its giraffe? Danish zoo kills four healthy lions
BBC News
30-07-2025
- BBC News
Outcry after German zoo culled baboons due to overcrowding
A zoo in the southern German city of Nuremberg has culled 12 healthy Guinea baboons due to overcrowding in their enclosure, after which they were fed to animal rights activists were arrested on Tuesday after they entered the Tiergarten Nürnberg zoo in protest against the decision. One woman glued her hands to the ground near the had caused an "increase in conflicts" between the baboons and no alternative for re-housing them could be found, the zoo Maisack, head of the German Legal Association for Animal Protection Law, said letting the animals breed too freely "cannot constitute such a reason" for their killing. The zoo in Nuremberg had announced plans to kill some Guinea baboons last year, after its population exceeded 40 - more than the 25 that could be housed by a complex completed in in other countries that baboons had previously been sent to had also reached capacity and contraception measures had failed to slow the population growth, the zoo Tuesday morning, the zoo announced that it was closing for "operational reasons", triggering demonstrators to climb over the zoo's fence near the entrance, where they were the zoo confirmed that it had killed the baboons - none of which were pregnant females or part of scientific studies. The animals were shot, samples were taken for research purposes, then their bodies were fed to the zoo's Encke, the zoo's director, said the decision came after "yearslong consideration", and that the culling of animals can be a "legitimate last resort to preserve the population".Encke added that the action was in line with criteria set out by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA).Animal rights groups have filed a criminal complaint against the zoo for culling baboons which were in "perfect health". A spokesperson for Pro Wildlife said the decision was "avoidable and illegal", adding: "Healthy animals had to be killed because the zoo maintained irresponsible and unsustainable breeding policies for decades."European zoos have previously sparked controversy for culling 2014, a zoo in Copenhagen culled a giraffe - named Marius - because his genes were too close to the other giraffes in the zoo's breeding programme.A post-mortem of the giraffe - during which the carcass was skinned, cut up and then fed to the lions - was broadcast live online.
