Nürnberg Zoo’s Baboon Killings Spark Outrage and Calls for Reform
In response to overcrowding concerns, the Tiergarten Nürnberg zoo euthanized 12 baboons on Tuesday, despite public protest and intervention from animal rights activists. The zoo’s decision, which followed the failure of other population control methods, sparked outrage from animal protection groups who filed criminal complaints. The zoo defended its actions, citing the need to maintain a healthy baboon population within the confines of its limited space and in accordance with legal requirements, adding that samples were taken for research purposes, and the bodies were fed to the zoo’s predators. The zoo had previously attempted to relocate baboons and use contraception but had not been successful.
John Q. Hosedrinker