Leipzig Zoo under fire after culling four antelopes
In one of the most beautiful zoos in Europe, Leipzig Zoo in Germany, the authorities have decided to take a surprising step. Due to overcrowding in the antelope enclosure, it was decided to cull four animals.
According to the German publication Bild, zoo authorities determined this drastic step was necessary to manage the herd's population.
Unfortunately, no other zoo was found earlier to accommodate the four animals.
Due to a lack of space at the Leipzig facility, it was decided that a male and three females would be culled. The culling of the animals took place on Friday, January 18. However, culling surplus animals in zoos raises significant controversy.
Zoo authorities explained that despite attempts, they were unable to transfer the surplus animals to another institution through the European Endangered Species Program (EEP). Therefore, a committee consisting of animal keepers and the zoo director made this difficult decision, which outraged many.
Animal rights activists straightforwardly call this situation a violation of animal rights. However, the opposing side also presents its arguments.
Proponents of euthanizing healthy animals in zoos argue that they do not have natural predators, always have sufficient food, and often live longer than in the wild due to medical care.
To avoid controversy, the zoo did not disclose details of the employee assigned to euthanize the animals. As the German publication Bild notes, this is not the first instance at Leipzig Zoo where healthy animals have been culled.
In 2023, it was revealed that a zebra stallion was culled there because it was no longer needed for further breeding.
