List of animals culled in zoos explained

Culling animals in zoos is the process of segregating animals from a group according to desired or undesired characteristics; the process often ends with the segregated animals being killed. Several reasons are given for culling in zoos, including a lack of space, the genes of the culled animals are over-represented in the zoo population, the (young) animal might be attacked or killed, or the culled animals have contracted a disease.

Because animals in zoos are killed for many reasons, such as old age or disease, just as pet animals are often euthanized because of health problems, it is beyond the scope of this list to identify every case where an animal is killed in a zoo. The list focuses on controversial, unusual or otherwise noteworthy cases where the incident was reported in national or international sources.

List

The following is a list of animals where their culling and euthanisation in zoos and wildlife (safari) parks has been covered by the general media.

Country	Zoo	Species (Common name)	Species(Taxonomic name)	Year	Number	Reason given by zoo	Source
Denmark	Copenhagen Zoo	Giraffe	Giraffa camelopardalis	2014	1 (Marius)	Prevent inbreeding	^[1]
Denmark	Odense Zoo	Lion	Panthera leo	2014	2		^[2]
Germany	Magdeburg Zoo	Siberian tiger	Panthera tigris altaica	2010	3(cubs)	Cubs were hybrids^[3]
England	Woburn Safari Park	Rhesus macaque	Macaca mulatta	2000	215	Infected with a virus	^[4]
Switzerland	Bern Zoo	Namibian lion	Panthera leo	2007	2(cubs)	Insufficient space	^[5]
England	Paignton Zoo	Peacock		2007	7	Complaints from neighbours about noise	^[6]
Denmark	Copenhagen Zoo		Panthera pardus	2012	2 (cubs)	Genes were over-represented	^[7]
Denmark	Copenhagen Zoo	Lion	Panthera leo	2014	4 (including 2 cubs)	To make space for another male	^[8]
Australia	Adelaide zoo	Greater flamingo	Phoenicopterus roseus	2014	1 Greater (flamingo)	Arthritis	^[9]
Canada	Assiniboine Park Zoo	Polar bear	Ursus maritimus	2008	1 Debby (polar bear)	Multiple organ failure	^[10]
United States	Central Park Zoo	Polar bear	Ursus maritimus	2013	1 Gus (polar bear)	Inoperable tumour	^[11]
Spain	Barcelona Zoo	Western lowland gorilla	Gorilla gorilla gorilla	2003	1 Snowflake (gorilla)	Skin cancer	^[12]
Netherlands	Dolfinarium Harderwijk	Walrus	Odobenus rosmarus	2013	1 Igor (walrus)	Shoulder-joint problems	^[13]
Germany	Leipzig Zoo	Virginia opossum	Didelphis virginiana	2011	1 Heidi (opossum)	Age-related health problems	^[14]
United States	Wild Adventures Theme Park	Asian elephant	Elephas maximus	2011	1 Queenie (waterskiing elephant)	Deteriorating health	^[15]
United States	Oklahoma City Zoo	Sea lion		2010	1Midge the Sea Lion	Lung cancer	^[16]
New Zealand	Auckland Zoo	Asian elephant		2009	1Kashin (elephant)	Arthritis and foot abscess	^[17]
Australia	Southern Ash Wildlife Centre	Koala		2009	1Sam (koala)	Urogenital chlamydiosis	^[18]
United States	Birmingham Zoo	Western lowland gorilla	Gorilla gorilla gorilla	2008	1Babec	Heart disease	^[19]
United States	Santa Barbara Zoo	Rothschild's giraffe	G. c. rothschild	2008	1Gemina (giraffe)	Deteriorating health	^[20]
United States	Dallas Zoo	Western lowland gorilla		2008	1Jenny (gorilla)	Inoperable tumour	^[21]

Summary quotes

• "...five giraffes have been put down by zoos in Denmark since 2012."^[22]
• "Dr Lesley Dickie, executive director of EAZA, [said] that between 3,000 and 5,000 healthy animals are put down every year across Europe. 'That’s our estimate for all animals management euthanised in the zoo, be it tadpoles up until a giraffe'. Among those killed were 22 healthy zebras, four hippos and two Arabian Oryx were also put down. The Oryx were killed at Edinburgh and London zoos in 2000 and 2001."

See also

• Animal euthanasia

External links

• EAZA statement on euthanasia. https://web.archive.org/web/20131015182030/http://www.eaza.net/about/Documents/EAZA%20Euthanasia%20statement.pdf

Notes and References

1. Web site: McLaughlin, E.C . Wilkinson, P . amp. Zoo official on Marius the giraffe: Conservation isn't always clean. CNN. 2014. March 28, 2015.
2. Web site: Barnes, H.. How many healthy animals do zoos put down?. BBC. 2014. March 28, 2015.
3. Web site: Amend EAZA euthanasia policies, ethically manage populations with contraception, cooperate with international organisations to relocate healthy animals to suitable environments.. Change.Org. Lanesborough, A.. March 30, 2015.
4. Web site: Park culls monkey colony. 2000. BBC. March 28, 2015.
5. Web site: Swiss zoo culls endangered lion cubs. The Telegraph. 2007. Moore, M.. March 28, 2015.
6. Web site: Zoo culls peacocks in noise row. 2007. BBC. March 28, 2015.
7. Web site: Abend, L.. 2014. Time. Marius the giraffe is not the only animal zoos have culled recently. March 29, 2015.
8. Web site: Anderson, L.. Tragic inevitability of latest zoo deaths. 2014. March 30, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150317000913/http://www.onekind.org/news_blog/blog_article/tragic_inevitability_of_latest_zoo_deaths. March 17, 2015. dead.
9. Web site: World's oldest flamingo, Greater, dies at Adelaide Zoo.. The Australian. 2014. March 30, 2015.
10. Web site: Tributes pour in after oldest polar bear dies in Winnipeg. CBC.ca. 2008. March 30, 2015.
11. Web site: Gus, Central Park Zoo's Polar bear, has died . Huffington Post. 2013. March 30, 2015. Leader, J..
12. Web site: Meet Snowflake the world's only known albino gorilla. November 29, 2003. thenigertimes.com. March 30, 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150316142414/http://www.thenigertimes.com/2013/11/meet-snowflake-the-world-only-known-albino-gorilla.html. March 16, 2015.
13. Web site: Walrus Igor is overleden . nl . De Stentor . 2013 . March 30, 2015.
14. Web site: Heidi the cross-eyed opossum dead at three.. The Local. 2011. March 31, 2015.
15. Web site: Queenie, the waterskiing elephant, dies. Batty, D.. 2011. The Guardian. March 31, 2015.
16. Web site: Famous Oklahoma City Zoo sea lion dies. Coppernoll, C.. The Oklahoman Online. 2010. April 1, 2015.
17. News: Vaimoana. Tapaleao. Kashin's health issues become too much to bear. The New Zealand Herald . 25 August 2009. April 1, 2015.
18. News: Sam the Koala dies. 6 August 2009. Herald Sun. News Limited. April 1, 2015.
19. Web site: Babec's Story Birmingham Zoo. www.birminghamzoo.com. en-US. 2018-09-08.
20. News: Steve . Chawkins . Gemina the giraffe dies at 21. . 2008 . April 2, 2015.
21. News: Oldest gorilla in captivity dies in Dallas Zoo at 55. Toronto Star. 2008-09-06 . 2008-09-28.
22. Web site: Marius the giraffe was not alone: zoos in Europe kill 5,000 healthy animals annually. The Huffington Post UK. 2014. March 30, 2015.