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Despite public outcry, a second giraffe murder is planned for a Denmark zoo.
Every kid looks forward to spotting a giraffe at the local zoo. The gangly, long-legged animals are iconic. But in a horrifying turn of events, last Sunday officials at Copenhagen Zoo shot a two-year-old male giraffe in the head, then fed him to lions. In front of children.
The reason for the killing? The zoo participates in an international breeding program that aims to maintain viable species populations, and Marius—as his keepers called him—had well-represented genes that put the herd at risk of inbreeding.
Now a second zoo is threatening to do the same thing.
Public outcry grew quickly over the first killing. A petition garnered 27,000 signatures, several other zoos offered to shelter the animal, and there were protests during the shooting itself. Horrifying headlines and photos of Marius’ remains ignited international outrage online. The zoo’s officials, however, were steadfast—even after receiving death threats.
In a television interview before the slaying, Bengt Holst, the zoo’s scientific director, explained why other options weren’t employed. According to Holst, contraceptives have unwanted side effects that would’ve put the animal in poor condition. The zoo couldn’t release him into the wild either because, well, there’s no program to facilitate it. How about handing him to another park? Apparently, the strict stipulations imposed by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria prevent animals from being transferred to unaccredited zoos.
Three days after Marius was killed, another Denmark zoo announced a similar plan. Jyllands Park, which houses two male giraffes, will euthanize one of the animals when a female giraffe is acquired. In what can only be an ominous sign, his name is also Marius.
“Many places abroad where they do not do this, the animals live under poor conditions,” says Jyllands Park’s Janni Løjtved Poulsen. “We don’t think that’s OK.”
While emotional reactions are reasonable, many scientists agree with Poulsen and Holst. The Copenhagen Post recently spoke with a children’s development professor, Karen Pernille Hviid, and an animal ethics professor, Peter Sandøe, both from the University Copenhagen.
About letting children watch the lions feast on Marius, Hviid said, “A young giraffe with big brown eyes has a natural appeal to us humans. But if you, as parents, expect Disney animals when you go to the zoo, then maybe you should not go there.”
Sandøe held naming the animals somewhat accountable for the controversy. Pigs, for instance, are “just a number.” He added, “They are animals we keep our distance from, in order to eat or sell them.”
Many advocates—including the Chechen president—have spoken out on behalf of Jyllands Park’s Marius, but his fate still lies with the zoo. For the seven-year-old giraffe, it’s not looking well.
“If we are told we have to euthanize [Marius] we would of course do that,” Poulsen told The Guardian. “[The controversy] doesn’t affect us in any way. We are completely behind Copenhagen and would have done the same.”
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Posted : February 15, 2014 10:44 pm
Topic starter
Stop Zoo's Plan to Kill a Second Healthy Giraffe
author: Julia McCallum
target: Jyllands Park Zoo
signatures: 121,4
we've got 121,457 signatures, help us get to 122,000 by February 26, 2014
Update #3 February 15, 2014
Thanks for your support. The first 100,000 signatures were sent to Jyllands Zoo some hours ago. Although one media report yesterday suggested that Jyllands do not plan to kill a second giraffe, Marius's future remains uncertain, and the petition is still active. Please keep signing and spreading the word. Please sign: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/379/410/714/save-susi-swedens-most-important-wolf/?z00m=20711812 http://www.thepetitionsite.com/510/905/886/stop-animals-abuse-in-greece/
Update #2 February 14, 2014
WELL DONE EVERYONE! We are on our way to giving a very clear message that another killing is unacceptable. Interestingly, EAZA has condemned Jyllands announcement of another possible killing: http://www.eaza.net/News/newsblog/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=184 Remember these petitions also: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/185/448/356/copenhagen-zoo-killed-marius-tell-copenhagen-zoo-how-you-feel/ http://www.thepetitionsite.com/622/321/018/stop-jyllands-zoo-denmark-slaughtering-another-giraffe/
Update #1 February 13, 2014
Thank you to to everyone who has signed the petition so far. We need to keep going however so that we can prevent potentially another dreadful outcome for another healthy, young animal. The Guardian newspaper originally reported on this story last night, and it seems to now have been picked up by various other major media outlets. Keep spreading the word about the petition and show Jyllands Park Zoo that this time we want a much more humane outcome.
About this Petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/707/406/877/tell-jyllands-park-zoo-dont-kill-marius-again/?z00m=20749845
Just three days after Copenhagen Zoo's decision to kill Marius, a healthy 18-month-old giraffe, sparked international outrage, The Guardian Newspaper reported on February 12, 2014, that Jyllands Park Zoo in Denmark is also considering killing a young, healthy 7-year-old giraffe, who is ironically also called Marius.
It is reported in the article that Marius may be killed again due to being surplus to breeding requirements, in the event that another female giraffe is acquired by the zoo.
Tell Jyllands Park Zoo that this must not happen again, and that should Marius become surplus to the needs of the zoo's breeding program, to transfer him to alternative accommodation and spare his life
Posted : February 16, 2014 12:14 am
GOD FOR BID!
this seems appropriate:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL3aqSAPg_c
Posted : February 16, 2014 12:33 am
There must have been a shortage of horse meat to feed the lions.
Posted : February 16, 2014 10:26 am
Topic starter
LF - That's the circle of "Natural" life in the wild not in a so called controlled zoo environment where they need to be responsible for their own breeding programs. That hapless, helpless giraffe that they so barbaricly killed could have gone to another zoo or a sanctuary and spared. Same for the next one they plan on killing, needlessly.
CI - Get some compassion.
Posted : February 16, 2014 12:27 pm
What meat do the lions normally eat? Can we say those animals died needlessly even though they're not giraffes?
Posted : February 16, 2014 1:49 pm
That hapless, helpless giraffe that they so barbaricly killed
I'd much rather be killed by the bolt to the head method than a lion pride taking me down and eating me alive....
. Same for the next one they plan on killing, needlessly.
.
well zoo's in general are pretty needless, I'd say since those guys are probably the expert they probably know what they are doing.
Posted : February 16, 2014 3:18 pm
Topic starter
Message Remove: Please review board rules regarding forum etiquette.
Posted : February 16, 2014 3:57 pm
The only thing that this zoo did that I thought was kinda barbaric was the public slaughter after the giraffe was killed. I just didn't get why that was necessary, but I guess it did provide a teaching opportunity.
I'm a huge animal lover, but this whole argument is dumb. People are getting worked up with human irrational emotions because giraffes are cute. I'd love to see people get so worked up over every other living creature that dies every day, whether by human hand, another animal, or accident.
How about someone mourning all the fish that are fed every day to the penguins at the zoo? Or the mice that are fed to the snakes? I do not see a difference here.
And lions eat MEAT - they are obligate carnivores. Something's gotta die for them to eat. In the wild they eat giraffes when they can get them. This is no different, and was an animal management decision, which zoos do every day.
This is a non-issue to me, and an example of people choosing emotion over logic and reality.
Posted : February 16, 2014 4:04 pm
Message Remove: Please review board rules regarding forum etiquette.
Posted : February 16, 2014 4:05 pm
CI - Get some compassion.
I am compassionate. I like the big cats, and I see no problem with people eating horse meat.
What I hate is people that filet fish and waste the rest, or that get a lobster, eat the tail, and throw the rest away.
When I kill something for food, nothing gets wasted. Even the dove that flew into my window yesterday
and broke its' neck went to good use.
Posted : February 16, 2014 4:18 pm
Topic starter
Message Remove: Please review board rules regarding forum etiquette.
Posted : February 16, 2014 4:28 pm
Message Remove: Please review board rules regarding forum etiquette.
Posted : February 16, 2014 5:00 pm
Message Remove: Please review board rules regarding forum etiquette.
Posted : February 17, 2014 12:32 pm
Message Remove: Please review board rules regarding forum etiquette.
Posted : February 17, 2014 1:44 pm
Topic starter
http://www.channel4.com/news/giraffe-killed-copenhagen-zoo-marius-fed-to-lions
Update:
CLOSE COPENHAGEN ZOO
author: Carol Wilson
target: Helle Thorning-Schmidt Prime Minister Denmark and Lesley Dickie EAZA
signatures: 131,445
.
131,445 132,000
we've got 131,445 signatures, help us get to 132,000
Update #3 February 16, 2014
Yvonne from the Uk was signayure 130.304 it seen=ms the site is a little slow in updating. Thank you all x I found this article which you may be interested in ...... http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/02/140212-giraffe-death-denmark-copenhagen-zoo-breeding-europe/#close-modal
Update #2 February 12, 2014
This zoo claims this is an 'education exercise to teach children the circle of life'. The Born Free Foundation state that " the conservation benefits claimed by zoos do not justify the keeping of wild animals in captivity, and challenges the effectiveness of captivity-based conservation and education." Please let the zoo know what you think https://www.facebook.com/zoo
Update #1 February 15, 2014
Please remember that although Denmark seems to have horrific outdated laws on animal welfare Not everyone in Denmark agrees with them. It is because of the Danish activists that we became aware of this problem. One of the people who signed the petition incorrectly used my name as being part of the zoo I can assure you that I would never play any part in killing any animal as I believe this world is a better place because they are here.
About this Petition
Despite numerous offers from zoos around the world Copenhagan zoo slaughtered Marius the Giraffe, this was a needless cruel and barbaric act.
Copenhagan zoo are guilty of animal cruelty. They allowed the risk to the female giraffe giving birth to the calf, knowing the calf would be 'surplus'.
They used the baby calf to draw in visitors then slaughtered it.
This place should not be allowed to operate they use their animals as a comodity with little regard for their health or wellbeing.
If they can display such cruelty in the face of the public, one must ask what does Copenhagen zoo do to the animals behind closed doors?
I have written to the Prime Minister of Denmark and Lesley Dickie Executive Office EAZA and also the member of parliment for Europe. To date there have been no responses. I will keep you informed.
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http://www.channel4.com/news/giraffe-killed-copenhagen-zoo-marius-fed-to-lions
Copenhagen Zoo Facebook Page Click on the link to let Copenhagen zoo know how you feel
PS Just so you know there is now a petition to close THIS petition
Posted : February 17, 2014 1:58 pm
