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Danish zoo sparks outrage by killing healthy giraffe Danish zoo sparks outrage by killing healthy giraffe
(35 minutes later)
A healthy young giraffe has been slaughtered at Copenhagen zoo, despite a campaign to save it. A healthy young giraffe has been put down at Copenhagen zoo, despite a campaign to save it.
Demonstrators carrying banners gathered outside the zoo this morning and thousands of people signed a petition to rescue the giraffe, called Marius, after the Danish zoo announced it was planning to kill the animal because of European laws on inbreeding. Protesters carrying banners gathered outside the zoo this morning and thousands of people signed a petition to rescue the giraffe, called Marius, after the Danish zoo announced it was planning to kill the animal because of European laws on inbreeding.
Other zoos, including the Yorkshire wildlife park in Britain, had offered to take it in.Other zoos, including the Yorkshire wildlife park in Britain, had offered to take it in.
But according to the Danish newspaper BT, Marius was fed some rye bread at 9.15am and was killed shortly after by a shot in the head with a bolt gun.But according to the Danish newspaper BT, Marius was fed some rye bread at 9.15am and was killed shortly after by a shot in the head with a bolt gun.
Live footage of his body being dissected was streamed by Ekstra Bladet, with zoo staff explaining the process to the crowd and viewing public, describing the anatomy of the animal. Live footage of his body being dissected was streamed by Ekstra Bladet, showing zoo workers wearing green rubber gloves carrying out the dissection while an announcer guided the crowd throughout the process and fielded questions. Some of the meat was due to be fed to the lions later today.
His meat will be fed to tigers and other animals.
The zoo defended the decision to slaughter Marius, saying that to send Marius to another zoo would also risk problems of inbreeding, as Marius's genes were already well represented among giraffes at the zoo.The zoo defended the decision to slaughter Marius, saying that to send Marius to another zoo would also risk problems of inbreeding, as Marius's genes were already well represented among giraffes at the zoo.
"We know we are doing the right thing," Bengt Holst, the zoo's scientific director, told Danish TV2. "The many reactions don't change our attitude to what we do. It's very important to us that we take responsibility throughout. We need to have as healthy a stock as possible so we avoid inbreeding.""We know we are doing the right thing," Bengt Holst, the zoo's scientific director, told Danish TV2. "The many reactions don't change our attitude to what we do. It's very important to us that we take responsibility throughout. We need to have as healthy a stock as possible so we avoid inbreeding."
Holst said some of the meat from the giraffe would be used for research and the rest for food.Holst said some of the meat from the giraffe would be used for research and the rest for food.