CAZA questions wisdom of Copenhagen zoo’s public giraffe cull

TORONTO – The organization which represents many of Canada’s zoos is questioning the wisdom of a Denmark zoo’s decision to kill a young giraffe and fed its remains to lions in front of an audience.

The executive director of Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums says such an event is not something that has been seen in Canadian facilities.

Massimo Bergamini says while euthanasia is sometimes part of population control, zoos have to carefully weigh the educational value making such proceedings a public event against the potential to shock.

A two-year-old giraffe named Marius was killed at the Copenhagen Zoo on Sunday using a bolt pistol, then skinned and fed to lions in front of visitors, including children.

The killing has triggered a wave of online protests and debate about zoo conditions.

The zoo said it killed Marius to prevent inbreeding, and it defended the public feeding as a display of scientific knowledge about animals.