The Nuremberg Zoo, in southern Germany, announced on Tuesday, July 29, after shooting twelve of its babouins, because its enclosure was crowded, despite a lively protest movement.
“The reduction in the size of the group was inevitable, because the 43 animals of the group greatly exceeded the 25 for which the zoobuns enclosure is designed,” explains the animal park in place, which indicates that it has not found “alternative.”
“We are aware that this decision irritates, affects and angry many people,” added the zoo, after announcing in February 2024 his intention to shoot the animals.
Intrusions of activists and demonstrations
On Tuesday, seven activists of the animal’s cause entered the zoo to protest against the planned babouin killing, said German police, and joins them quickly arrested them. Manifestations have also been made in the city to affirm that animals can “live.”
During a press conference, the director of the Nuremberg Zoo, DAG Encke, justified the decision of the massacre based on the criteria issued by the European Association of Jardines and Zoological Aquariums (Eaza).
According to Eaza, “the slaughter of animals in the context of population management, as we call it in zoos, is a legitimate means and can be the last option to preserve the population,” said Dag Encke.
The chief biologist of the zoo, Jörg Beckmann, said that females in pregnancy and animals that participated in a scientific study had been saved.
Corpses “Given the zoo predators”
“Animals have been shot dead, according to animals protection standards,” he said, added that “bodies have been given to zoo predators.”
Two animal cause defense organizations announced that they had filed a complaint against the management of the zoo after “the killing of twelve monkeys in perfect health.”
The zoo has “put its project” while “other institutions were ready to welcome the Babuinos,” say the two organizations, Wildlife Pro and the German company of the Animal Protection Law (DJGT).
They accuse the Nuremberg Zoo of mismanagement of this population. In total, “45 Babuinos recently lived in an enclosure initially designed for 25 animals, an overpopulation of 80%,” they accuse, emphasizing that these narrow conditions have caused “stress and conflicts” between the monkeys.
Source: BFM TV
