This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26098935
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Campaign for giraffe facing death at Copenhagen zoo | Campaign for giraffe facing death at Copenhagen zoo |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Animal rights campaigners are trying to save a healthy young giraffe at Copenhagen Zoo from being destroyed. | |
| Thousands of people have signed online petitions appealing for a change of heart over the 18-month-old called Marius, who is due to be put down on Sunday. | |
| The zoo says it has no choice because of European rules to avoid in-breeding. | |
| It said attempts to find it a new home have failed, but a zoo in Britain says it has space to take the young giraffe. | |
| Yorkshire Wildlife Park (YWP) near Doncaster said it had contacted Copenhagen Zoo after reading about Marius's plight on the BBC. | |
| It has a state-of-the-art giraffe house with a herd of four male giraffes - one of which came from Copenhagen Zoo in 2012 - and the capacity to take an extra male, the park told the BBC. | |
| "We have tried to contact Copenhagen to confirm if they are looking to rehome their young giraffe, as this could be a solution that provides a positive outcome for everyone - including Marius," said John Minion, joint managing director of the park. | |
| A zoo in Sweden - which unlike the YWP is not affiliated to the European Association of Zoos and Animals (EAZA) which oversees the breeding programme - has also reportedly offered to take in Marius. | |
| Bolt gun | |
| Marius - a doe-eyed, perfectly healthy, 18-month-old giraffe - has been munching in his stall, blissfully unaware that he is about to face his executioner on Sunday, says the BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Copenhagen. | Marius - a doe-eyed, perfectly healthy, 18-month-old giraffe - has been munching in his stall, blissfully unaware that he is about to face his executioner on Sunday, says the BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Copenhagen. |
| Bengt Holst, scientific director at the Danish zoo, said Marius's genes were already well represented among giraffes at the zoo. | |
| He could not understand the fuss Marius's impending destruction had generated, pointing out that, for instance, 700-800 deer are killed every year at a deer park north of Copenhagen to control their numbers. | He could not understand the fuss Marius's impending destruction had generated, pointing out that, for instance, 700-800 deer are killed every year at a deer park north of Copenhagen to control their numbers. |
| Marius is due to be killed by a bolt gun. The zoo will not use a lethal injection, because that would contaminate the meat. | Marius is due to be killed by a bolt gun. The zoo will not use a lethal injection, because that would contaminate the meat. |
| The zoo plans to dissect the animal after it has been killed, before feeding it to the tigers and other carnivores. | The zoo plans to dissect the animal after it has been killed, before feeding it to the tigers and other carnivores. |
| "It would be absolutely foolish to throw away a few hundred kilos of meat," Mr Holst said according to the Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet. "Some is used for research and the rest for food." | "It would be absolutely foolish to throw away a few hundred kilos of meat," Mr Holst said according to the Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet. "Some is used for research and the rest for food." |
| Animal rights campaigners have described the move as barbaric and have accused the zoo of being unethical. |