Culling animals in zoos is the process of segregating animals from a group according to desired or undesired characteristics; the process often ends with the segregated animals
being killed. Several reasons are given for culling in
zoo
A zoo (short for zoological garden; also called an animal park or menagerie) is a facility in which animals are kept within enclosures for public exhibition and often bred for conservation purposes.
The term ''zoological garden'' refers to zoo ...
s, including a lack of space, the
gene
In biology, the word gene (from , ; "... Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a b ...
s of the culled animals are over-represented in the zoo population, the (young) animal might be attacked or killed, or the culled animals have contracted a disease.
Because animals in zoos are killed for many reasons, such as old age or disease, just as
pet animal
A pet, or companion animal, is an animal kept primarily for a person's company or entertainment rather than as a working animal, livestock, or a laboratory animal. Popular pets are often considered to have attractive appearances, intelligence, ...
s are often euthanized because of health problems, it is beyond the scope of this list to identify every case where an animal is killed in a zoo. The list focuses on controversial, unusual or otherwise noteworthy cases where the incident was reported in national or international sources.
List
The following is a list of animals where their culling and euthanisation in zoos and wildlife (safari) parks has been covered by the general media.
Summary quotes
* "...five giraffes have been put down by zoos in Denmark since 2012."
* "Dr Lesley Dickie, executive director of EAZA,
aid
In international relations, aid (also known as international aid, overseas aid, foreign aid, economic aid or foreign assistance) is – from the perspective of governments – a voluntary transfer of resources from one country to another.
Ai ...
that between 3,000 and 5,000 healthy animals are put down every year across Europe. 'That’s our estimate for all animals management euthanised in the zoo, be it tadpoles up until a giraffe'. Among those killed were 22 healthy zebras, four hippos and two Arabian Oryx were also put down. The Oryx were killed at Edinburgh and London zoos in 2000 and 2001."
See also
*
Animal euthanasia
Animal euthanasia ( euthanasia from el, εὐθανασία; "good death") is the act of killing an animal or allowing it to die by withholding extreme medical measures. Reasons for euthanasia include incurable (and especially painful) conditi ...
References
{{reflist
External links
* EAZA statement on euthanasisa
Animal deaths by euthanasia, *
Culled in zoos