Danish Zoo feed "surplus" giraffe to Lions

[Boges]

And lets children watch.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/02/09/why-a-danish-zoo-decided-to-kill-a-healthy-young-giraffe-and-feed-it-to-the-lions-while-children-watched/

Saying it needed to prevent inbreeding, the Copenhagen Zoo killed a 2-year-old giraffe and fed its remains to lions as visitors watched, ignoring a petition signed by thousands and offers from other zoos and a private individual to save the animal.

Marius, a healthy male, was put down Sunday using a bolt pistol, said zoo spokesman Tobias Stenbaek Bro. Visitors, including children, were invited to watch while the giraffe was then skinned and fed to the lions.

Is this horrifying or is it a good education on the Circle of life? Gotta feed those Lions somehow. Edited February 10, 2014 by Boges

[Michael Hardner]

May we can show them how their iPhones are made next.

[waldo]

even if you accept the zoo's (and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA)) actions/rationale, the public display of gutting, skinning and dismembering the giraffe can't be accepted. Obviously, without that public display, the action may have gone unnoticed.

EAZA public statement:

[Army Guy]

Well they were invited ? those that showed up got exactly what they came for....it happens all over the world, everyday...except for westerners that think our meat supply comes in a truck....

[bleeding heart]

Yeah....I'm willing to admit I'm wrong...but as it stands, I don't see any serious problem here.

[Boges]

People are very hypocritical about the way they view animals. I too am included in this.

I'm not willing to give up eating meat but have no interest in knowing or getting involved in the process of knowing the plight of the animals that I end up purchasing parts at the grocery store.

But cruelty to animals like horses or dogs, to me, is very upsetting. Those are animals that hold a higher value to, Western Nations at least, humans. They provide a net benefit to humans beyond protein or the work they may do.

The plight of zoo animals are criticized by many "animal lovers" but are frequented by "animal lovers" as well to learn stuff about animals in other parts of the world. I can see how putting down an otherwise healthy giraffe and gutting it and feeding it to Lions in front of children can rub people the wrong way.

But it appears to be pure pragmatism, on the zoo's part, to me.

Edited February 10, 2014 by Boges

[overthere]

It is probably the best, freshest most organic meal those lions have eaten in their captive lives.

Until somebody stumbles into their enclosure.

[Mighty AC]

even if you accept the zoo's (and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA)) actions/rationale, the public display of gutting, skinning and dismembering the giraffe can't be accepted. Obviously, without that public display, the action may have gone unnoticed.

EAZA public statement:

The EAZA link isn't currently working. However, I'm sure it mentioned that the zoo doesn't sterilize its animals and thus relocates or euthanizes animals it cannot house. In this case the family genes of the giraffe are already well represened in other zoos so feeding the beast to the lions was the best conservational choice.

People watch animals eat meat every day in zoos and on tv programs, why should a public display of prepping the meat be considered unacceptable? If killing animals for food should be kept behind closed doors then perhaps we have a massive ethical issue to deal with in our own food system. I think people should be made aware of exactly how our own food is routinely tortured before being processed, packaged and prepared for dinner.

[bleeding heart]

A good point, Mighty AC. Obviously, yes....if it is unacceptable to see meat being prepared (or consumed by other predators in our care)...unless said meat is prepared ahead of time, "out of the public eye" as it were...then the situation is patently absurd.

[waldo]

The EAZA link isn't currently working. However, I'm sure it mentioned that the zoo doesn't sterilize its animals and thus relocates or euthanizes animals it cannot house. In this case the family genes of the giraffe are already well represened in other zoos so feeding the beast to the lions was the best conservational choice.

as I understand/read it, other zoos indicated a willingness and ability to host the giraffe. One of the zoos (an EAZA sanctioned zoo) hosts a sibling of the giraffe killed; apparently that zoo indicated it could host the giraffe separately and breeding would not be affected. Apparently, this was not acceptable to the EAZA organization. As I understand/read, the sterilization option isn't chosen simply because they want to maintain zoo positions for active breeding animals. I also read that at least one other zoo in England offered to accept the giraffe, but EAZA refused as that zoo wasn't associated with the EAZA organization. In this latter case, apparently, EAZA raised a concern that they couldn't guarantee that the English zoo met "it's standards"... so, of course, they opted to kill the giraffe instead!

.

People watch animals eat meat every day in zoos and on tv programs, why should a public display of prepping the meat be considered unacceptable? If killing animals for food should be kept behind closed doors then perhaps we have a massive ethical issue to deal with in our own food system. I think people should be made aware of exactly how our own food is routinely tortured before being processed, packaged and prepared for dinner.

the giraffe killed was not some unknown animal killed in an isolated slaughterhouse. It was an animal that was presented to the public as a testament to, supposedly, what zoos are about. That imagery is front and center in all media coverage and has acted to bring forward world-wide protests. There's also a consideration of where a giraffe positions within the animal world... how do people view (and yes, value) a giraffe in relation to... a cow, a chicken... a whale, a porpoise, etc. As follows, a part of that imagery, a photo taken just a day or so prior to the killing... I'll hold off on posting the other side of that imagery, particularly the image that shows a "vet" gutting/skinning/dismembering the giraffe in front of small children:

[eyeball]

I'll bet the Friendly Giant and Finnegan are spinning in their graves.

[bush_cheney2004]

Meh...I wonder what giraffe tastes like ? Have to ask the lions.

[The_Squid]

They're beautiful animals. I don't think it should have been killed if another zoo was willing to take it. However, I don't think any zoos should even exist. Housing animals in little cages is cruel.

I have no issues with kids seeing an animal being butchered after it has been humanely killed. In fact, it may inspire a biologist or two... or a butcher.... which is all good. Why do kids need to be sheltered from this?

[eyeball]

Why do kids need to be sheltered from this?

To keep adults from coming unglued. I've had people aboard my boat when killer whales were ripping sealions apart. Kids were thrilled while parents were appalled and saying someone should do something. Exactly what I don't know, jump in and scold the whales presumably.

[The_Squid]

To keep adults from coming unglued. I've had people aboard my boat when killer whales were ripping sealions apart. Kids were thrilled while parents were appalled and saying someone should do something. Exactly what I don't know, jump in and scold the whales presumably.

haha... crazy! Nature is a terrible place.... better to sit in front of a video game and shoot people...

[waldo]

haha... crazy! Nature is a terrible place.... better to sit in front of a video game and shoot people...

nature is... natural. Nothing about that giraffe killing was natural. Under the weight of the follow-up world-wide scrutiny, the zoo's "scientific director" was quoted saying, "As long as they are with us, we want them to have a good life with as much natural behavior as possible". Then... why didn't they just put the giraffe in with the lions and let nature and natural behaviour take its course? Right... that's hardly... humane! Much better to use a bolt-gun and perform a public, so-called, "autopsy". I can't imagine a more stunningly stupid action to have escalated and channeled negative opinion towards zoos. Any semblance of legitimate conservation measures/intent is completely lost in that big-time public relations fail.

.

[guyser]

Waldo, Lions dont normally eat Giraffes, too big, too tall and thats a long jump up !

A whole pride will , but they would have to be under some duress.

[The_Squid]

nature is... natural. Nothing about that giraffe killing was natural. Under the weight of the follow-up world-wide scrutiny, the zoo's "scientific director" was quoted saying, "As long as they are with us, we want them to have a good life with as much natural behavior as possible". Then... why didn't they just put the giraffe in with the lions and let nature and natural behaviour take its course? Right... that's hardly... humane! Much better to use a bolt-gun and perform a public, so-called, "autopsy". I can't imagine a more stunningly stupid action to have escalated and channeled negative opinion towards zoos. Any semblance of legitimate conservation measures/intent is completely lost in that big-time public relations fail.

.

As I said, killing, or keeping, the giraffe was wrong. I was responding to eyeball's post.

[waldo]

Waldo, Lions dont normally eat Giraffes, too big, too tall and thats a long jump up !

A whole pride will , but they would have to be under some duress.

no - lions are quite predatory on young/small giraffes... which this one was.

[waldo]

As I said, killing, or keeping, the giraffe was wrong. I was responding to eyeball's post.

for the most part we are in agreement... other than performing the so-called "autopsy" in front of the public/kids. My reply to your post wasn't questioning/challenging it/you. As you, I also don't see a place for zoos/aquariums.

[Mighty AC]

You keep emphasizing that prepping the animal should not have been viewed by the public or children. I fail to see why this an issue. In the first place the people in attendance chose to witness the event. Secondly, it would have been a great biology lesson. I'm sure it covered anatomy and the unique features of the giraffe, but I also hope it touched on meat in our own food system.

The giraffe wasn't a nameless farm animal, so I would expect that parents with small children that had an attachment to it would not have attended the demonstration. On that note though, farm kids see or eat animals they've had a relationship with all the time.

Finally, humans are animals that eat animals. 40 million cows and 9 billion chickens are killed every year for consumption in the US alone. I think its important that people understand more about what this entails.

[eyeball]

I have to admit I'm in the camp that said WTF when I heard about this and I've killed literally millions of animals for my livelihood over the years. This just struck me as a weird thing to do.

As for really preventing the near deliberate extinction of animals like Marius I think our troops should be dispatched to regions where local authorities are clearly unable or unwilling to prevent the poaching and destruction of habitat that is the primary threat to their existence in the wild. We should also apply some very serious economic sanctions against importing countries that fuel the trade in parts from such obviously threatened animal populations, like rhinos for example.

I think the difference between Marius and an animal that we eat is that he was simply more like a pet than a food animal to people. In any case if anyone thought cows don't have feelings...

As for my feelings...

[waldo]

You keep emphasizing that prepping the animal should not have been viewed by the public or children. I fail to see why this an issue. In the first place the people in attendance chose to witness the event. Secondly, it would have been a great biology lesson. I'm sure it covered anatomy and the unique features of the giraffe, but I also hope it touched on meat in our own food system.

Finally, humans are animals that eat animals. 40 million cows and 9 billion chickens are killed every year for consumption in the US alone. I think its important that people understand more about what this entails.

young children had that choice made for them. World-wide distribution of pictures/video of the "autopsy", quite obviously, shows the (resultant) lack of controlled presentation. Again, this was not 'nature'... was not 'natural', and had absolutely nothing to say about or project upon human food sources. A biology lesson on giraffe anatomy? Really?

.

[Mighty AC]

You can question the parenting choice to bring a child to the event if you like. My son would be interested in such a demonstration but my daughter would not. It's the responsibility of the parents involved to make that choice.

I don't see an issue with showing the preparation of an animal though. We contribute to the torture and slaughter of billions upon billions of animals every year to feed ourselves. The fact that many deem the prep of a giraffe carcass too gruesome for the public really highlights our hypocrisy. In this case a giraffe was going to be euthanized, the zoo used the meat to feed other animals and the opportunity to educate.

Edited February 12, 2014 by Mighty AC

[waldo]

You can question the parenting choice to bring a child to the event if you like. My son would be interested in such a demonstration but my daughter would not. It's the responsibility of the parents involved to make that choice.

and you can ignore the point I made about the world-wide distribution of the pics/video of the "autopsy". Your implied 'closed viewing by choice', turned out to be anything but.

.

I don't see an issue with showing the preparation of an animal though. We contribute to the torture and slaughter of billions upon billions of animals every year to feed ourselves. The fact that many deem the prep of a giraffe carcass too gruesome for the public really highlights our hypocrisy. In this case a giraffe was going to be euthanized, the zoo used the meat to feed other animals and the opportunity to educate.

and you continue to improperly equate that giraffe killing to slaughterhouse conditions/processes. I personally haven't spoken to your public sensitivities strawman. And again, you speak about an "education" opportunity... on top of your earlier nonsensical reference to giraffe "anatomy education". What practical learning was provided to the public in the immediate viewing area of that gutting/skinning/dismembering... what practical learning has been provided to those now protesting the actions/decision?

.