ProtestersForcefully Gain Access to Germany's Zoo Following the Euthanizing of Baboons
Nuremberg Zoo Culls 12 Baboons Amidst Controversy
In a controversial move, the Nuremberg Zoo in Germany has culled 12 healthy Guinea baboons due to chronic overcrowding in their enclosure. The zoo, which was designed for a maximum of 25 individuals, had expanded to about 40, leading to increased conflicts and injuries among the animals.
The zoo's director, Dag Encke, stated that the culling was carried out in accordance with the criteria set by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). Encke explained that all non-lethal options, including attempts to relocate the animals to other zoos and contraceptive measures, had been exhausted over several years. Expanding the habitat or releasing the animals into the wild was not feasible, he added.
The decision to cull the baboons has sparked outrage among animal rights activists. Groups like Pro Wildlife have condemned the zoo for what they call irresponsible and unsustainable breeding policies that led to the overpopulation. They argue that killing healthy animals is unnecessary and inhumane, and have vowed legal action, claiming the cull was a consequence of the zoo's own mismanagement.
The public prosecutor has received hundreds of complaints, signalling widespread public outrage. Animal rights activists have staged protests outside the zoo, demanding an immediate halt to further killings and an end to breeding programs there. Seven demonstrators were arrested by police during one such protest.
Christoph Maisack, head of the German Legal Association for Animal Protection Law (DJGT), stated that animal welfare laws only permit the killing of vertebrates if there is a reasonable cause. Maisack, along with other activists, believes that letting animals breed too freely cannot constitute a reasonable cause for their killing.
The zoo's chief biologist, Joerg Beckmann, confirmed that pregnant females and those being observed for scientific studies were spared from the cull. Beckmann also revealed that the dead baboons were fed to the predators in the zoo.
The zoo initially announced plans to kill some of its baboons in February last year, citing operational reasons. However, the zoo was closed for these reasons, which activists believed was due to the baboon cull.
The controversy surrounding the Nuremberg Zoo's decision to cull its baboons highlights the tension between practical concerns over space and welfare under constrained options, and ethical objections that call for systemic changes in zoo management.
[1] Zoo culls 12 baboons due to overcrowding [2] Animal rights activists protest against Nuremberg Zoo baboon cull [3] Nuremberg Zoo kills 12 baboons due to overcrowding [4] German zoo under fire for culling 12 healthy baboons [5] Nuremberg Zoo under fire for culling baboons
Here's a possible way to construct two sentences that meet the requirement:
[1] Despite the controversy, the Nuremberg Zoo in Germany decided to cull 12 healthy Guinea baboons due to chronic overcrowding in their enclosure.[2] Limited options for relocation, contraception, habitat expansion, or release into the wild led the zoo to implement the cull, as dictated by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria.
