List of animals culled in zoos

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. ^{[1] [2] [3]} Mark Bekoff, an American biologist and ethologist coined the term "zoothanasia" to describe zoo culling. ^{[4] [5]}

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
United States	Maryland Zoo	African elephant	Elephas africana	2024	1	Elderly animal	[6]
United States	National Zoo	Asian elephant	Elephas maximus	2024	1 Kamala	Elderly animal	[7]
Denmark	Aalborg Zoo	African elephant	Elephas africana	2024	2	Elderly animals	[8]
Scotland	Camperdown Wildlife Centre	Wolf	Canis lupus lupus	2023	4	Agitation after the death of pack leader	[9]
Switzerland	Basel Zoo	Orangutan	Pongo pygmaeus	2022	1	Zoo did not wish to hand rear infant after mother's death	[10]
Taiwan	Taipei Zoo	Giant panda	Ailuropoda melanoleuca	2022	1 Tuan Tuan (panda)	Suffering multiple seizures brought on by gemistocytic astrocytoma lesions on his brain [11]	[12]
Denmark	Copenhagen Zoo	Wolf	Canis lupus lupus	2020	3	Make space for new animal	[13]
Denmark	Copenhagen Zoo	Lion	Panthera leo	2014	4	Make space for new animal	[14]
Denmark	Copenhagen Zoo	Giraffe	Giraffa camelopardalis	2014	1 (Marius)	Prevent inbreeding	[15]
Denmark	Odense Zoo	Lion	Panthera leo	2014	2		[16]
Germany	Magdeburg Zoo	Siberian tiger	Panthera tigris altaica	2010	3 (cubs)	Cubs were hybrids [17] [ better source needed ]	[16]
England	Woburn Safari Park	Rhesus macaque	Macaca mulatta	2000	215	Infected with a virus	[18]
Switzerland	Bern Zoo	Namibian lion	Panthera leo	2007	2 (cubs)	Insufficient space	[19]
England	Paignton Zoo	Peacock		2007	7	Complaints from neighbours about noise	[20]
Denmark	Copenhagen Zoo	Leopard	Panthera pardus	2012	2 (cubs)	Genes were over-represented	[21]
Denmark	Copenhagen Zoo	Lion	Panthera leo	2014	4 (including 2 cubs)	To make space for another male	[22]
Australia	Adelaide zoo	Greater flamingo	Phoenicopterus roseus	2014	1 Greater (flamingo)	Arthritis	[23]
Canada	Assiniboine Park Zoo	Polar bear	Ursus maritimus	2008	1 Debby (polar bear)	Multiple organ failure	[24]
United States	Central Park Zoo	Polar bear	Ursus maritimus	2013	1 Gus (polar bear)	Inoperable tumour	[25]
Spain	Barcelona Zoo	Western lowland gorilla	Gorilla gorilla gorilla	2003	1 Snowflake (gorilla)	Skin cancer	[26]
Netherlands	Dolfinarium Harderwijk	Walrus	Odobenus rosmarus	2013	1 Igor (walrus)	Shoulder-joint problems	[27]
Germany	Leipzig Zoo	Virginia opossum	Didelphis virginiana	2011	1 Heidi (opossum)	Age-related health problems	[28]
United States	Wild Adventures Theme Park	Asian elephant	Elephas maximus	2011	1 Queenie (waterskiing elephant)	Deteriorating health	[29]
United States	Oklahoma City Zoo	Sea lion		2010	1 Midge the Sea Lion	Lung cancer	[30]
New Zealand	Auckland Zoo	Asian elephant		2009	1 Kashin (elephant)	Arthritis and foot abscess	[31]
Australia	Southern Ash Wildlife Centre	Koala		2009	1 Sam (koala)	Urogenital chlamydiosis	[32]
United States	Birmingham Zoo	Western lowland gorilla	Gorilla gorilla gorilla	2008	1 Babec	Heart disease	[33]
United States	Santa Barbara Zoo	Rothschild's giraffe	G. c. rothschild	2008	1 Gemina (giraffe)	Deteriorating health	[34]
United States	Dallas Zoo	Western lowland gorilla		2008	1 Jenny (gorilla)	Inoperable tumour	[35]

Summary quotes

• "...five giraffes have been put down by zoos in Denmark since 2012." ^[36]
• "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." ^[36]

See also

• Animal euthanasia

References

1. Parker, Ian (2017-01-08). "Killing Animals at the Zoo". The New Yorker. ISSN   0028-792X . Retrieved 2025-01-07.
2. Abend, Lisa (2014-02-10). "Marius The Giraffe Is Not The Only Animal Zoos Have Culled Recently". TIME. Retrieved 2025-01-07.
3. Ong, Sandy (2016-03-07). "Culling and contraception". Scienceline. Retrieved 2025-01-07.
4. "Killing Healthy Animals in Zoos: "Zoothanasia" is a Reality | Psychology Today United Kingdom". www.psychologytoday.com. Retrieved 2025-01-07.
5. Bekoff, Dr Marc (2018-02-03). "Zoothanasia: the cruel practice of killing healthy zoo animals". Salon. Retrieved 2025-01-07.
6. "Anna, the Maryland Zoo's oldest African elephant, is euthanized after fall". The Independent. 2024-10-17. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
7. "Kamala, beloved Asian elephant at National Zoo, euthanized after failing health". WTOP News. 2024-11-03. Retrieved 2025-01-07.
8. "Dismay as Danish zoo euthanises its elephants". Born Free. 2024-11-05. Retrieved 2024-12-15.
9. "Dundee zoo 'heartbroken' after wolf pack euthanised". BBC News. 2023-03-28. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
10. "JGI Statement on the death of a baby Orangutan in Switzerland" . Retrieved 2024-12-14.
11. 蔡佩珈 (2022-12-19). "團團解剖「死因成首例」 腦部嚴重萎縮、大量組織壞死". Chinatimes. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
12. Strong, Matthew (19 November 2022). "Giant Panda Tuan Tuan passes away at Taipei Zoo". taiwannews.com. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
13. "Copenhagen Zoo Kills Three Wolves to Use their Space as Temporary Playground for Children". News18. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
14. "Danish zoo that killed Marius the giraffe puts down four lions". The Guardian. Agence France-Presse. 2014-03-25. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2024-12-14.
15. McLaughlin, E.C & Wilkinson, P (2014). "Zoo official on Marius the giraffe: Conservation isn't always clean". CNN. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
16. Barnes, H. (2014). "How many healthy animals do zoos put down?". BBC. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
17. Lanesborough, A. "Amend EAZA euthanasia policies, ethically manage populations with contraception, cooperate with international organisations to relocate healthy animals to suitable environments". Change.Org. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
18. "Park culls monkey colony". BBC. 2000. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
19. Moore, M. (2007). "Swiss zoo culls endangered lion cubs". The Telegraph. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
20. "Zoo culls peacocks in noise row". BBC. 2007. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
21. Abend, L. (2014). "Marius the giraffe is not the only animal zoos have culled recently". Time. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
22. Anderson, L. (2014). "Tragic inevitability of latest zoo deaths". Archived from the original on March 17, 2015. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
23. "World's oldest flamingo, Greater, dies at Adelaide Zoo". The Australian. 2014. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
24. "Tributes pour in after oldest polar bear dies in Winnipeg". CBC.ca. 2008. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
25. Leader, J. (2013). "Gus, Central Park Zoo's Polar bear, has died". Huffington Post. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
26. "Meet Snowflake the world's only known albino gorilla". thenigertimes.com. November 29, 2003. Archived from the original on March 16, 2015. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
27. "Walrus Igor is overleden" (in Dutch). De Stentor. 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
28. "Heidi the cross-eyed opossum dead at three". The Local. 2011. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
29. Batty, D. (2011). "Queenie, the waterskiing elephant, dies". The Guardian. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
30. Coppernoll, C. (2010). "Famous Oklahoma City Zoo sea lion dies". The Oklahoman Online. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
31. Tapaleao, Vaimoana (25 August 2009). "Kashin's health issues become too much to bear". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
32. "Sam the Koala dies". Herald Sun. News Limited. 6 August 2009. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
33. "Babec's Story | Birmingham Zoo". www.birminghamzoo.com. Retrieved 2018-09-08.
34. Chawkins, Steve (2008). "Gemina the giraffe dies at 21". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved April 2, 2015.
35. "Oldest gorilla in captivity dies in Dallas Zoo at 55". Toronto Star . 2008-09-06. Retrieved 2008-09-28.
36. "Marius the giraffe was not alone: zoos in Europe kill 5,000 healthy animals annually". The Huffington Post UK. 2014. Retrieved March 30, 2015.

External links

• EAZA statement on euthanasia.