Marius the giraffe - did they have to kill him?

The thread below yours is already discussing this, papaoscar. (Didn't want you to feel you were being ignored!)

Thanks, Ariadne. I've now jumped ship to the Copenhagen Giraffe, so can close this thread.

I think the actions of the zoo have been rational and realistic.

Particularly in view of the small gene pool. Would it be better to obtain some semen from wild giraffes. I don't mean capture them. Just get the sperm and release.

Galen, that would indeed be an interesting procedure!

Indeed! I'm having difficulty imagining what would be involved!

I presume you'd have to execute a temporary capture?

But yes, it's an interesting subject this of keeping the gene pool of zoo animals healthy. It can't be always easy.

Tranquilliser darts and some sort of extractor?

Was it necessary to feed his carcass to the lions in front of visitors to the zoo I wonder?

I read to-day that Longleat had their two full grown lions & four cubs put to sleep due to the worry of the size of the pride causing violent behaviour surely they could have been dispursed to other zoo's where the population was not so big.

KatyK
Why not? Watching the lions being fed used to be a highlight of a day at many Zoos. It does not make any difference what species is being eaten. They eat what they can catch in the wild and often eat it alive.

See the Copenhagen Zoo thread.

Nellie - yes I suppose so. Somehow it made me feel uneasy and they also did the autopsy in full view of young children.

...or cut him up or whatever it was, perhaps autopsy was the wrong word.