Danish zoo sparks outrage by killing healthy giraffe

Hey guys... did you hear about this I´m a huge giraffe lover and this is devastading for me... Directors of czech zoos said that this was really bad decision...
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so sad. I can't understand such decissions ;(

Terribly sad   

But no other zoo needed a young, male giraffe, and then what to do ?
They could not have him with his mother and sisters, and the adult male would have fought him to death.
You can't keep a male giraffe like if he was a horse or something, there was no alternative, - but VERY sad   

I am sure they would not have done it if there had been a better solution.  

At least they did not make a secret of it.
I am sure that lots and lots of healthy, young, beautyful - and even rare - animals are put down in zoos all over the world. We just do not hear it. 

I saw this and it confuses me. If another zoo did not need/want it couldn't they have looked for some kind of refuge or something to send it to? To me its a pity to kill any healthy animal, even if they didn't want to cause inbreeding (a very good notion by the way) but even if they had to isolate it until they could find someplace for it I think this was a ridiculous decision. Susanne you have great points, I just think that there were other options.  

Actually this is much more sensible than you would have thought.

No zoo approved by European Endangered Species Programme needed him.

In Denmark it is prohibited by law for Zoos to sell or give as much as a white mouse to not-approved persons or orgainzations, so there was NO option.

Usually the ESP-Zoos do not sterilize the animals, because they should live as naturally as possible. That does give a surplus. And as happens in the wild, predors eat the surplus.

Pfff, what a shame.

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The only thing I'm really mad about, is that they let the giraffes reproduce...
So they KNEW, the young male had to be killed the moment he was born.
Because they knew his genes were well representative....
Because they keep track of every giraffe who mate, or is pregnant...
The thing with the anticonseptive is ******** Other Zoos do this too...

Poor guy, at least the lions got a good deal out of it.

SUSANNE wrote:

Usually the ESP-Zoos do not sterilize the animals, because they should live as naturally as possible. That does give a surplus. And as happens in the wild, predors eat the surplus.

I find it rather strange, wouldn't it be better if they sterilise them instead of killing? It's common practice for horses, dogs, cats and many more animals    I understand it's difficult subject and I know I have no competence to judge it but I find it sad ...  

Anyway, saying "as naturally as possible" sound to me hypocrite because it will never be natural for giraffe to live in such small space and in cold European climate   

@Nightlioness

That´s the horrible thing about this story. They knew it before, I can´t believe that they din´t know it cause he was only 2 years old. And I´m sure there isn´t such a great "Giraffe-Traffic" in other zoos that he could find a new home two years later...So they gained a lot of money for those who wanted to see a baby giraffe and two years later....

There are rumors that there were other zoos who wanted them and also private men had given a bit. So even if there are such laws in Danemark, I´m sure give him away would have been a better decision.
And when not? They could have search for another resolution: sterelise him. Even when the EESP doesn´t allow it cause they want to have the animals in a natural way of life, isn´t it strange to kill it? Cause I´m sure a healthy and fit giraffe wouldn´t be so easy a prey for lions...

Macabre is also that they killed the giraffe in front of the public. Also children watched the scenary when the doctor prepared the cadavre for the lions...

Sad is that now, there will be new prejudice angainst zoos. Zoos have a very important role and want to protect animals. But what is the target in protect an animal when there are enough in different zoos so they have to kill it? For me the danish zoo had taken a false decision and it´s the director who has normally to be fired...

Come on, people !
How many steaks have you eaten in your life ? Poor, poor cows !!!
But that is ok, because they are only cows, - and it is ok to slaughter millions of pig, because we don't see it.

The children were not scared at all, and they learned something about life and death.

We had an outroar also some time ago here, because a man chopped the head off a chicken !
That chicken had had a wonderful, free roaming life, growing up on green grass with a mom and siblings.
And died instantaneously to become dinner for the family.
The chickens nobody care about, are the ones that are tortured from they hatch till they get thrown in transport boxes to be transported like "things" , and die a terrible mass murder and end in the super market.

Don't get me wrong. I love giraffes ( and cows and pigs and chickens ), but please be sensible.
And  should the giraffes not be allowed to breed, and those children to see a baby giraffe ?

PS: They could not keep the giraffe for 2 more years. His dad already had begun to attack him .

PPS : if you want to save the giraffes in captivity, they need to get offspring, and app half  of them will be males.
Giraffes are very, very hard to anesthetize (for castration)...and even castrated, he would probably still be attacked by his dad.
I have never heard about castrated giraffes or elephants or other large, wild animals...there must be a reason for that.

PPPS : As Anna writes, they need warmth and space and very, very good care. It is not animal to give away to any rich person who thinks they are cute.

Sorry Susanne I disagree with you... Thing is not about steaks, vegetarians or such thing...
It´s about (for me) breeding process and it´s results. I graduated from agricultural school with a focus on animals and know that if they are intended to breeding they have to have specific and concrete genetic funds records to avoid bad breeding. And animals in zoos are not exception.Moreover if the zoo is a member of EAZA and breeding program.  So they must know that this baby giraffe will be inappropriate for this process because of genetic funds of his parents... Why the hell they are doing this in first place???  This is very upsetting   

And also the thing they damaged view on zoos around the world and their mission in the eyes of the public in one day.

I am very angry and sad from this whole situation. I admire zoos and their rescue programs and this is a big slap to all of it.

Also because I´m a huge giraffe admirer and this is breaking my heart ...
I talked about this solution with director of Zoo Prague and Zoo Dvur Kralove and they said it was bad decision kill him

      

I don't understand why the people make so a theatre.  

Quote :

Why they don't have castrate or strerelize Marius?

That's not because they want this is not because they want to keep animals as naturally as possible, that's more because to put a giraffe in a anesthesia isn't easy.

Quote :

Why they breed more animals if you do not have enough space for this?

That's because a giraffe in the nature do the same, young animals are always jobs for the animals and make the zoo life again a bit exciting.

I think it was good to dissect the giraffe in front of all the people, now they know how a giraffe looks without skin.
And why now when a giraffe die the people cry?When a cow or pig die everybody is happy that he have something to eat.
Perhaps it would have been smart to bring the dead giraffe into a restaurant and there to sell to the people in a soup.

arafan wrote:

I don't understand why the people make so a theatre.  

Quote :

Why they don't have castrate or strerelize Marius?

That's not because they want this is not because they want to keep animals as naturally as possible, that's more because to put a giraffe in a anesthesia isn't easy.

Quote :

Why they breed more animals if you do not have enough space for this?

That's because a giraffe in the nature do the same, young animals are always jobs for the animals and make the zoo life again a bit exciting.

I think it was good to dissect the giraffe in front of all the people, now they know how a giraffe looks without skin.
And why now when a giraffe die the people cry?When a cow or pig die everybody is happy that he have something to eat.
Perhaps it would have been smart to bring the dead giraffe into a restaurant and there to sell to the people in a soup.

ARE YOU SERIOUS???
Sorry I really don´t want to think that you are just another stupid kid who makes fun of serious thing...

arafan wrote:

I don't understand why the people make so a theatre.  

Quote :

Why they don't have castrate or strerelize Marius?

That's not because they want this is not because they want to keep animals as naturally as possible, that's more because to put a giraffe in a anesthesia isn't easy.

Quote :

Why they breed more animals if you do not have enough space for this?

That's because a giraffe in the nature do the same, young animals are always jobs for the animals and make the zoo life again a bit exciting.

I think it was good to dissect the giraffe in front of all the people, now they know how a giraffe looks without skin.
And why now when a giraffe die the people cry?When a cow or pig die everybody is happy that he have something to eat.
Perhaps it would have been smart to bring the dead giraffe into a restaurant and there to sell to the people in a soup.

Really? Maybe lets dissect humans in front of children who attend to primary school, because they would see how human organs look like   This giraffe child did not die from a disease. It died because it has been killed! Why are you so cold-hearted?

MartinH wrote:

ARE YOU SERIOUS???
Sorry I really don´t want to think that you are just another stupid kid who makes fun of serious thing...

A giraffe is die    
Go to Africa there every day some giraffes die.

arafan wrote:

Go to Africa there every day some giraffes die.

Yes, and while we're there, lets chop albino boy and sell his limbs for witchcraft purposes...   

Fisva wrote:

arafan wrote:

I don't understand why the people make so a theatre.  

Quote :

Why they don't have castrate or strerelize Marius?

That's not because they want this is not because they want to keep animals as naturally as possible, that's more because to put a giraffe in a anesthesia isn't easy.

Quote :

Why they breed more animals if you do not have enough space for this?

That's because a giraffe in the nature do the same, young animals are always jobs for the animals and make the zoo life again a bit exciting.

I think it was good to dissect the giraffe in front of all the people, now they know how a giraffe looks without skin.
And why now when a giraffe die the people cry?When a cow or pig die everybody is happy that he have something to eat.
Perhaps it would have been smart to bring the dead giraffe into a restaurant and there to sell to the people in a soup.

Really? Maybe lets dissect humans in front of children who attend to primary school, because they would see how human organs look like   This giraffe child did not die from a disease. It died because it has been killed! Why are you so cold-hearted?

To be true I don't think that this is a bad idea, the human is die, he don't need the body anymore. The childrens also look that at the TV, why not in the reality too?
Only because of the education a child would something never disgusting find it also looks just the kids playing in the mud, take earthworms in there hands or open with a stock a dead mouses or birds (which they themselves find on the street, in the woods, ect.).
Yes it was killed and that wasn't the best option, but it was one of the best.

arafan wrote:

MartinH wrote:

ARE YOU SERIOUS???
Sorry I really don´t want to think that you are just another stupid kid who makes fun of serious thing...

A giraffe is die    
Go to Africa there every day some giraffes die.

You interfere two completely different topics together if you don´t understand that we have nothing to talk about!

SUSANNE wrote:

Terribly sad   

But no other zoo needed a young, male giraffe, and then what to do ?

Susanne, that IS the problem - there were ZOOs interested in taking him
"Yorkshire Wildlife Park
Last attempt to save Marius the giraffe

Earlier today reports were issued by the BBC that tomorrow (Sunday 9th February ) Copenhagen Zoo are planning to euthanase an 18 month old giraffe, Marius as according to their director they were unable to rehome him and no offers had been forthcoming from European Zoos.
On seeing this news, the Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster, immediately contacted Copenhagen Zoo through the YWP Danish Head of Hoofstock who explained to the main zoo reception why the Park urgently wished to speak to the zoo requested a call to confirm the situation regarding the giraffe. YWP has a state of the art giraffe house built in 2012 with a bachelor herd of 4 male giraffes and the capacity to take an extra male. One of the YWP giraffes is Palle, who came from Copenhagen Zoo in September 2012, when he was the same age as Marius.
YWP has not yet received a return phone call from the zoo to confirm if they are seeking a home for Marius.
John Minion, YWP explained ` We have tried to contact Copenhagen to confirm if they are looking to rehome their young giraffe , as this could be a solution that provides a positive outcome for everyone – including Marius’"

I heard about this   There were other ways that the zoo should have dealt with this. What I think they should have done is either traded him for another giraffe or even sold him to a zoo who wanted to start a breeding program but didn't have a male. They also could have kept him, but just kept him separate from the females.

skysthelimit wrote:

SUSANNE wrote:

Terribly sad   

But no other zoo needed a young, male giraffe, and then what to do ?

Susanne, that IS the problem - there were ZOOs interested in taking him
"Yorkshire Wildlife Park
Last attempt to save Marius the giraffe

That is not what was I heard here ?  Or , if it is not a  "Looking back-reasoning" why did they not want Marius to go there ?  
Perhaps a fourth male giraffe was not a good idea, - or perhaps they were convinced that Marius would suffer in the group...I don't know.

MartinH wrote:

Sorry Susanne I disagree with you... Thing is not about steaks, vegetarians or such thing... 
It´s about (for me) breeding process and it´s results. I graduated from agricultural school with a focus on animals and know that if they are intended to breeding they have to have specific and concrete genetic funds records to avoid bad breeding. And animals in zoos are not exception.Moreover if the zoo is a member of EAZA and breeding program.  So they must know that this baby giraffe will be inappropriate for this process because of genetic funds of his parents... Why the hell they are doing this in first place???  This is very upsetting   

And also the thing they damaged view on zoos around the world and their mission in the eyes of the public in one day.

I am very angry and sad from this whole situation. I admire zoos and their rescue programs and this is a big slap to all of it.

Also because I´m a huge giraffe admirer and this is breaking my heart ...
I talked about this solution with director of Zoo Prague and Zoo Dvur Kralove and they said it was bad decision kill him 

Martin, perhaps I have a farmer's approach. 
But when it comes to basic, it is really about saving the species, isn't it ?
They could probably use a female of that line, but had no use for a male ?

Yes. We all love giraffes, but sometimes it goes too far.
The MD of the Copenhagen zoo, has had death threats, and worse : His children are being threatened !
It is a terrible shame that this giraffe was killed, but ( ok, let's not talk about steaks) I still get more upset because people won't pay a bit more for a free roaming chicken !

What I am protesting against is the complete lack of proportions in the discussion in Denmark !

------
Now I have said my opinion and leave this discussion, there is almost nothing else on TV here .
----
One last thing. Please do not attack Arafan personally ! That is bad style

SUSANNE wrote:

Perhaps a fourth male giraffe was not a good idea, - or perhaps they were convinced that Marius would suffer in the group...I don't know.

They have 4 males already, Marius would be fifth. Since it's a bachelor group, no problem with inbreeding there. Also, since they already have a large group, they are probably aware of their capacity - they wouldn't offered a place for him if other animals would suffer...

skysthelimit wrote:

SUSANNE wrote:

Perhaps a fourth male giraffe was not a good idea, - or perhaps they were convinced that Marius would suffer in the group...I don't know.

They have 4 males already, Marius would be fifth. Since it's a bachelor group, no problem with inbreeding there. Also, since they already have a large group, they are probably aware of their capacity - they wouldn't offered a place for him if other animals would suffer...

Exactly...

arafan wrote:

To be true I don't think that this is a bad idea, the human is die, he don't need the body anymore. The childrens also look that at the TV, why not in the reality too?
Only because of the education a child would something never disgusting find it also looks just the kids playing in the mud, take earthworms in there hands or open with a stock a dead mouses or birds (which they themselves find on the street, in the woods, ect.).
Yes it was killed and that wasn't the best option, but it was one of the best.

What you see in the TV is FAKE, and I think you are old enough to know differences between reality and TV shows.
IF you teach children that it is sometimes necessary to kill, we will soon have the third World War because nobody would care about the life of all beings. Perhaps you are too young to understand that every creature lives only ONCE and it is BAD to TEACH children such things like killing healthy beings.

Fisva wrote:

arafan wrote:

To be true I don't think that this is a bad idea, the human is die, he don't need the body anymore. The childrens also look that at the TV, why not in the reality too?
Only because of the education a child would something never disgusting find it also looks just the kids playing in the mud, take earthworms in there hands or open with a stock a dead mouses or birds (which they themselves find on the street, in the woods, ect.).
Yes it was killed and that wasn't the best option, but it was one of the best.

What you see in the TV is FAKE, and I think you are old enough to know differences between reality and TV shows.
IF you teach children that it is sometimes necessary to kill, we will soon have the third World War because nobody would care about the life of all beings. Perhaps you are too young to understand that every creature lives only ONCE and it is BAD to TEACH children such things like killing healthy beings.

ALL in the TV is fake? Sure?
We are talking about the documentaries. Look here they dissect a shark, "Autopsie XXL" is the name in German, I don't know the English name. The animal wasn't killed from the people but we talk now about the dissect of the animal in front of the people. No I'm nobody to young, to talk about this but not all think how you. If a creature live only one time I don't know, to be true NOBODY know it.
But if you prefer that inbreed animals make child with others, I don't know what is better to let him alive or kill him.
If you tell childrens that kill is bad then you also don't can eat anymore meat. I think it is very important to raise awareness among children that death as part of life as birth. But that is something other