Zoo kills giraffe, feeds it to the lions, tears of rage flood the net

[Tiktaalik]

It's the cubs that I don't understand. If they're ten months old, that means that a year ago the zoo decided to produce more lions. I think most zoos would do that with aforethought, creating cubs that have potential to breed and increase the stock themselves. Otherwise, the only reason for producing them was for short-term financial gain ("we have cubs!") with the idea of killing them when they were too big to be cute. The two females obviously were still able to produce and care for cubs. In breeding stock, males are (often) a dime a dozen (sorry, guys) but a tested, proven female can be worth boatloads. So I don't understand this whole thing.

 

[NoahFence]

So I don't understand this whole thing.

Humans being humans.

News at 11.

 

[Sideroxylon]

Humans being humans.

That's a silly thing to say.

 

[GlennB]

It's the cubs that I don't understand. If they're ten months old, that means that a year ago the zoo decided to produce more lions. I think most zoos would do that with aforethought, creating cubs that have potential to breed and increase the stock themselves. Otherwise, the only reason for producing them was for short-term financial gain ("we have cubs!") with the idea of killing them when they were too big to be cute. The two females obviously were still able to produce and care for cubs. In breeding stock, males are (often) a dime a dozen (sorry, guys) but a tested, proven female can be worth boatloads. So I don't understand this whole thing.

I mentioned upthread - a new male has a biological imperative to kill those cubs. And as for somehow stopping the current breeding pair from reproducing 10 months back, well I confess I know nothing about birth control in lions. Spaying?

 

[NoahFence]

That's a silly thing to say.

care to elaborate?

Destroying : is what we do.

 

[NoahFence]

I mentioned upthread - a new male has a biological imperative to kill those cubs. And as for somehow stopping the current breeding pair from reproducing 10 months back, well I confess I know nothing about birth control in lions. Spaying?

Here's a thought - how about not getting the new lion to begin with?

 

[Sideroxylon]

care to elaborate?

Destroying : is what we do.

Surely I don't need to.

 

[NoahFence]

Surely I don't need to.

I think you do.

"Humans being humans", to me, explains perfectly the destruction of the planet, or the slaughter of animals for no reason.


Surely you don't need me to list examples? Can JREF handle that amount of bandwidth?

 

[SomedayGirl]

It's the cubs that I don't understand. If they're ten months old, that means that a year ago the zoo decided to produce more lions. I think most zoos would do that with aforethought, creating cubs that have potential to breed and increase the stock themselves. Otherwise, the only reason for producing them was for short-term financial gain ("we have cubs!") with the idea of killing them when they were too big to be cute. The two females obviously were still able to produce and care for cubs. In breeding stock, males are (often) a dime a dozen (sorry, guys) but a tested, proven female can be worth boatloads. So I don't understand this whole thing.

I read back when Marius was culled that this is one of the key differences between European and US zoos. Euro zoos have the philosophy that captive animals should be allowed as natural a life as possible, which means they're allowed to breed if they are so inclined. US zoos make a more direct effort to control breeding if it is necessary to prevent over population of a captive species.

I have to say that if that's the case I prefer the US model. It seems irresponsible and perhaps a smidge disingenuous on the part of the Euros...do they throw live goats or other prey in with the lions and other predators to allow them to hunt? Maybe they do but if they don't it's reasonable to ask why given the standard they've set. Are natural family groups preserved in animals where that is the norm? Seems pretty clear the answer is at least some of the time no and it's reasonable to ask why given the standard they've set. Then the question becomes why this one natural behavior (procreating) is preserved even if it adversely affects the overall population and results in the need for culling, yet other natural behaviors aren't accommodated.

 

[zooterkin]

Look, I'd just like to say I had nothing whatsoever to do with this. I wasn't there, I didn't touch any giraffe, I know nothing about the lions, and there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for all this blood...

 

[GlennB]

Here's a thought - how about not getting the new lion to begin with?

Because the whole pride, in the zoo , is becoming inbred. Nature sorts this out in the wild where (typically) pairs of young male lions are ejected from the pride by the alpha male. They spend a few years as a loner team, gathering strength and - importantly - a deep desire to mate. Eventually they take over a pride by ejecting an old male or finding a group with no adult male.

Then they kill any young cubs to reset the reproductive cycle of the lionesses back to 'receptive'.

None of this can happen in a zoo. The pride has to be managed by artificial means. What you're describing suggests the pride becomes more and more inbred, so at some point it does need 'fresh blood'. I'm not saying the zoo managed it in the best possible way, but the basic principle can't be avoided.

 

[Tricky]

I think you do.

"Humans being humans", to me, explains perfectly the destruction of the planet, or the slaughter of animals for no reason.

In the case of the lions, there obviously IS a reason. Likely, you won't agree with it, but that doesn't mean there was no reason.

 

[NoahFence]

No good reason.

 

[GlennB]

No good reason.

The avoidance of inbreeding?

 

[KDLarsen]

Here's a thought - how about not getting the new lion to begin with?

They had to get rid of the elderly male (Oleg) in the first place, as he was starting to make advances on lionesses he had fathered himself, since they were nearing sexual maturity.

At the same time, Gribskov Zoo had a young male lion nearing sexual maturity, and it was decided to bring him in to establish a new lion pride.

Since the elder lioness (which wasn't given a name) would have fought the new lion, they had to relocate her and the two cubs she had last year. This failed on account of no Zoo/Wildlife park offering to take them in, and Copenhagen Zoo was left with the sole option of putting her down. And seeing as the cubs a) still needed their mother's care & b) would've been killed by the new lion, they had no option but to put them down as well.