A zoo in Nuremberg, Germany, has drawn sharp criticism after euthanizing 12 healthy Guinea baboons due to overcrowding in their enclosure. The animals were later used as food for predators, a move that has ignited protests and legal action from animal rights groups.
The zoo defended its decision, stating that contraceptive efforts had failed to control the baboon population, which had grown beyond the enclosure’s capacity. With no available space in other zoos and rising tensions among the primates, officials deemed the culling a necessary measure.
Activists, however, condemned the move as unjustified. Seven protesters were arrested after attempting to block the zoo’s entrance, with one demonstrator gluing her hands to the ground in defiance. Animal welfare organizations have since filed a criminal complaint, arguing that the baboons were in good health and that the zoo’s breeding policies were to blame.
Zoo director Dag Encke maintained that the decision followed years of deliberation and complied with guidelines set by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). He described euthanasia as a last resort for population management.
This incident echoes past controversies in European zoos, including the 2014 killing of a giraffe in Copenhagen, which was publicly dissected and fed to lions. Critics argue that such practices highlight systemic failures in zoo management, calling for stricter regulations on breeding and animal welfare.
As debates over ethical wildlife management intensify, the Nuremberg case has reignited discussions on whether zoos should prioritize conservation efforts over lethal population control.
