Zoo in Nuremberg Kills 12 Baby Animals Due to Lack of Space

• The zoo in Nuremberg killed 12 baby animals due to lack of space.
• The zoo's plans sparked outrage among activists.
• Previously, the zoo had attempted to address the problem by relocating 16 baby animals.

The zoo in the German city of Nuremberg reported the killing of 12 baby animals on Tuesday, citing protests as a reason. This decision was the result of a problem with insufficient space for the growing group of animals.

Nuremberg's Tiergarten zoo announced plans to euthanize baby animals that it could no longer accommodate, still in February 2024. They stated that they had explored options for transferring some of the animals, but no viable option was found.

These plans drew criticism from animal protection groups. On Monday, the zoo reported that it was preparing for the euthanasia of baby animals. On Tuesday morning, zoo staff closed the facility due to unspecified "operational reasons."

On Tuesday, police reported that several activists had gathered on the zoo's territory, some of whom were detained on site.

Moreover, after this announcement, the zoo confirmed that it had killed 12 baby animals, as reported by the German news agency dpa. Further details were not immediately available. Animal protection groups stated that they plan to file a criminal complaint.

The number of baby animals in the zoo has increased to 43, which exceeds the capacity of a facility built in the 2000s for 25 animals and their young, leading to conflicts between the animals.

The zoo noted that it has been seeking solutions to the problem, including that 16 baby animals were transferred to zoos in Paris and China since 2011. However, these zoos, like another in Spain, also reached their limits. The attempt to transfer was hindered for several years due to non-deliveries.

In European zoos, euthanasia of animals for various reasons is conducted regularly. Some incidents have sparked outrage; for instance, in 2014, the Copenhagen zoo killed a healthy 2-year-old giraffe, dissecting it in front of viewers, including children, and later fed it to the lions.

Tags: Europe