Latest news with #LeipzigZoo
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- General
- Malay Mail
Three newborn tiger cubs euthanised after mother stops caring for them at German zoo
LEIPZIG, Aug 10 — Three tiger cubs were euthanised after their mother failed to care for them, the Leipzig Zoo in eastern Germany announced yesterday, reported German Press Agency (dpa). The Amur tiger cubs, just three days old, were put down to prevent suffering, a statement said. The zoo explained that hand-rearing was not considered an option, as it would conflict with principles of species-appropriate wildlife management. The cubs were born on Wednesday evening to Yushka, a first-time mother. The tigress turned away from her offspring a few hours after giving birth. Such behaviour is sad from a human perspective but is part of life in the animal kingdom, said zoo director Jörg Junhold. Over the next two days, without their mother's care, the cubs became frigid and increasingly weak. 'At this point, when the young animals no longer show any active behaviour and thus no stimulus for feeding or milk production is triggered in the mother, we must fulfil our heavy responsibility and spare the young animals the suffering of starvation,' explained veterinarian Andreas Bernhard. However, the zoo plans to continue its Amur tiger — also known as the Siberian tiger — breeding programme with Yushka. 'She will be able to contribute to the survival of the species through natural breeding in the future,' explained zoo director Junhold. — Bernama/dpa
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Denmark zoo asks people to donate unwanted pets as food for its predators
A zoo in Denmark is asking for unwanted pets to be donated - not for further care but as food for its predators. Aalborg zoo in North Jutland published the unusual appeal on Facebook and its website. The post says they can take smaller live animals such as chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs, which are "an important part of the diet of our predators - especially the European lynx, which needs whole prey that resembles what it would naturally hunt in the wild." It explains that if people have animals that need to be removed "for various reasons", they can bring a maximum of four small species at once. The animals are euthanised by trained staff and then used as food. "In zoos, we have a responsibility to imitate the animals' natural food chain - for the sake of both animal welfare and professional integrity," the post continues. "Nothing goes to waste - and we ensure natural behaviour, nutrition and well-being of our predators." The zoo says it will also take horses which are less than 147cm tall and have a pet passport. It is not unheard of for animals which die in a zoo or are culled from local healthy populations to be fed to predators. In 2014, Copenhagen Zoo caused controversy by euthanising an 18-month-old male giraffe called Marius and feeding his body to the lions. At the time, the zoo said it was due to a duty to avoid inbreeding. An online petition with thousands of signatures failed to save him. In 2023, Leipzig Zoo slaughtered a 15-year-old zebra and fed the carcass to their lions. The director of the site said they had tried to rehome the stallion but hadn't been successful. Sky News contacted Aalborg zoo for further comment and is awaiting a reply.
Sky News
04-08-2025
- General
- Sky News
Denmark zoo asks people to donate unwanted pets as food for its predators
A zoo in Denmark is asking for unwanted pets to be donated - not for further care but as food for its predators. Aalborg zoo in North Jutland published the unusual appeal on Facebook and its website. The post says they can take smaller live animals such as chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs, which are "an important part of the diet of our predators - especially the European lynx, which needs whole prey that resembles what it would naturally hunt in the wild." It explains that if people have animals that need to be removed "for various reasons", they can bring a maximum of four small species at once. The animals are euthanised by trained staff and then used as food. "In zoos, we have a responsibility to imitate the animals' natural food chain - for the sake of both animal welfare and professional integrity," the post continues. "Nothing goes to waste - and we ensure natural behaviour, nutrition and well-being of our predators." The zoo says it will also take horses which are less than 147cm tall and have a pet passport. It is not unheard of for animals which die in a zoo or are culled from local healthy populations to be fed to predators. In 2014, Copenhagen Zoo caused controversy by euthanising an 18-month-old male giraffe called Marius and feeding his body to the lions. At the time, the zoo said it was due to a duty to avoid inbreeding. An online petition with thousands of signatures failed to save him. In 2023, Leipzig Zoo slaughtered a 15-year-old zebra and fed the carcass to their lions. The director of the site said they had tried to rehome the stallion but hadn't been successful.
