So far, there have been no killings of animals for the purpose of so-called population management both in the Frankfurt Zoo and in the Opel Zoo in Kronberg. The zoos confirmed this on request. However, the lines of both zoos expressed an understanding of the procedure of the Nuremberg Zoo, which triggered a discussion a few weeks ago with the killing of twelve healthy couples and not only had to hear protest from animal welfare organizations. The Nuremberg animal parking management justified its procedure with the fact that they could not hand over the surplus animals to other zoos, while a whereabouts in the group would have led to great conflicts. The Opel Zoo in Kronberg supports the procedure of the Nuremberg zootian doctor and deputy zoo director Uta Westerhüs. “We are behind the idea of population management.” It is about a “well -considered, long -planned and very complex matter”. It is not a normal practice in zoos to kill animals to regulate stocks, but only “the last means of choice”. But Zoos would have to be able to use this tool. Westerhüs sees legal gaps: the Animal Welfare Act allows the killing of animals with a reasonable reason. But what applies as such, only based on social consensus. Instead of this gray area, the veterinarian wishes to be clear. Then in such cases, authorities could decide: “We recognize that.” Killing only “very last option” of the Opel Zoo, which does not hold a pavian, never had to kill animals for the purpose of population management. Numerous species are also bred in the Taunus. This is used for species protection, because so -called reserve populations are created in the zoo. “We need all ages for this,” said the vice director. Usually breeding would then be released to other zoos. In order to keep the groups smaller, zoos could also work with contraception. But the remedies often made wild animals sterile – with the result that populations aged. The Frankfurt zoo director Christina Geiger says that it had intensively followed the Nuremberg approach from the start, since the zoos were on many topics in close exchange. Basically, population management is essential. “We also have – also legally – a responsibility for our animal populations. A healthy and stable population has to be healthy in many ways, not only in the medical sense. Also the distribution of age, the population size, genetics and behavior play an important role,” says Geiger. “An adequate social environment is also important. Of the older ones, so all age groups are important for the group so that the normal social structure works. ” The individual animal protection has top priority, but the entire population must also be considered. “Bringing these two important goals into harmony is often not easy and emotionally not easy for all employees in the zoo.” An Asian lion gets an animal skin hanging for him in the Frankfurt Zoo. Francon Röth many animal species, for example, accepted only a single sexually mature male in the group, such as great apes. Otherwise it is inevitable that conflicts would arise. “This happens with us, for example, with the antelopes, and since every other zoo only needs a single males and can accommodate in the group, it may be that we feed such an animal, even if it is a threatened way – but always as the very last option when all other options have been checked and all places in other zoos are already occupied.”
Use AI article chat
With the free registration you use advantages such as notes.
This is
No subscription and no access to FAZ+
Articles.
You have access with your digital subscription.
Thank you for your registration
Killing for feeding is a reasonable reason and covered by the animal welfare law, for example, dwarf goats or poultry such as peacocks are fed in the zoo. For economic reasons, the feeding of zoo animals in Frankfurt remains an exception, since the keeping and maintenance of wild animals is significantly more complex than buying animals to feed. This is done by regional companies. Because information is important, the zoo generally does not accept pet donations. According to its information, there were more than 122 animals, especially pets such as goats, guinea pigs, rabbits and chickens, more on the topic of the Opel Zoo. It is not about saving money. It is simply more sensible to supply the carnivores in the zoo with meat from your own animals than to buy meat for it. “We know how these animals grew up and kept – and have short transport routes.” In addition, it is important for the big cats to get full body feeding every now and then. In other cases, the zoo also kills animals that would no longer help a surgical intervention after an injury. The Frankfurt director Geiger points out that a bought feed animal is also a healthy animal that was killed. However, she understands the protests of animal welfare organizations, but refer to the fact that in many committees representatives of zoos with animal welfare and animal rights organizations worked together in partnership- with the common goal of constantly improving animal welfare.
Go to source