Leslie Dickie Executive Director of the European Association of Zoos & Aquaria: Stop Killing healthy animals in zoos

Every year between 7,500 & 200,000 captive zoo animals in Europe are deemed as 'surplus'. As a solution to this and to prevent genetic inbreeding perfectly healthy, young animals are regularly killed. Recently we have heard of the tragedy of Marius the young healthy giraffe killed at Copenhagen Zoo for this reason. Last month six healthy young lions were killed at Longleat Safari Park. Despite this animals are still taken from the wild to populate European zoos. Even more disturbing, many of these animals killed are from critically endangered species. It seems that EAZA has allowed for a culture of euthanasia to take place in many zoos where young animals are desired for the busy summer periods and then killed in the winter.

Can zoos & safari parks really claim to be helping conservation whilst killing critically endangered species? More can be done to limit procurement and re-wild animals to prevent overpopulation or inbreeding in zoos. Also contraception can be used to manage populations if it seems reasonable that they may grow beyond the capability of the facility to either home, re-home or re-wild. The United States Association of Zoos and Aquariums uses contraception, proving, a much more humane way of managing zoo animal populations is possible. After all zoos and safari parks are primarily for entertainment, do we really think it is justified to allow them to kill sentient beings they deem 'surplus' to requirement. Our European captive animals deserve better.