List of animals culled in zoos

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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]

Contents

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.

CountryZooSpecies

(Common name)

Species

(Taxonomic name)

YearNumberReason given by zooSource
United States Maryland Zoo African elephant Elephas africana 20241Elderly animal [6]
United States National Zoo Asian elephant Elephas maximus 20241

Kamala

Elderly animal [7]
Denmark Aalborg Zoo African elephant Elephas africana 20242Elderly animals [8]
ScotlandCamperdown Wildlife CentreWolfCanis lupus lupus20234Agitation after the death of pack leader [9]
Switzerland Basel Zoo Orangutan Pongo pygmaeus20221Zoo did not wish to hand rear infant after mother's death [10]
Taiwan Taipei Zoo Giant panda Ailuropoda melanoleuca 20221

Tuan Tuan (panda)

Suffering multiple seizures brought on by gemistocytic astrocytoma lesions on his brain [11] [12]
Denmark Copenhagen Zoo WolfCanis lupus lupus20203Make space for playground area [13]
DenmarkCopenhagen Zoo Lion Panthera leo20144Make space for new animal [14]
DenmarkCopenhagen ZooGiraffeGiraffa camelopardalis20141

(Marius)

Prevent inbreeding [15]
Denmark Odense Zoo Lion Panthera leo20142 [16]
Germany Magdeburg Zoo Siberian tiger Panthera tigris altaica20103

(cubs)

Cubs were hybrids [17] [ better source needed ] [16]
England Woburn Safari Park Rhesus macaque Macaca mulatta2000215Infected with a virus [18]
SwitzerlandBern ZooNamibian lionPanthera leo20072

(cubs)

Insufficient space [19]
EnglandPaignton Zoo Peacock 20077Complaints from neighbours about noise [20]
DenmarkCopenhagen Zoo Leopard Panthera pardus20122

(cubs)

Genes were over-represented [21]
DenmarkCopenhagen ZooLionPanthera leo20144

(including 2 cubs)

To make space for another male [22]
Australia Adelaide zoo Greater flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus20141

Greater (flamingo)

Arthritis [23]
Canada Assiniboine Park Zoo Polar bear Ursus maritimus20081

Debby (polar bear)

Multiple organ failure [24]
United States Central Park Zoo Polar bear Ursus maritimus20131

Gus (polar bear)

Inoperable tumour [25]
Spain Barcelona Zoo Western lowland gorilla Gorilla gorilla gorilla20031

Snowflake (gorilla)

Skin cancer [26]
Netherlands Dolfinarium Harderwijk Walrus Odobenus rosmarus20131

Igor (walrus)

Shoulder-joint problems [27]
Germany Leipzig Zoo Virginia opossum Didelphis virginiana20111

Heidi (opossum)

Age-related health problems [28]
United States Wild Adventures Theme Park Asian elephant Elephas maximus20111

Queenie (waterskiing elephant)

Deteriorating health [29]
United States Oklahoma City Zoo Sea lion 20101

Midge the Sea Lion

Lung cancer [30]
New Zealand Auckland Zoo Asian elephant 20091

Kashin (elephant)

Arthritis and foot abscess [31]
AustraliaSouthern Ash Wildlife Centre Koala 20091

Sam (koala)

Urogenital chlamydiosis [32]
United States Birmingham Zoo Western lowland gorilla Gorilla gorilla gorilla20081

Babec

Heart disease [33]
United States Santa Barbara Zoo Rothschild's giraffe G. c. rothschild20081

Gemina (giraffe)

Deteriorating health [34]
United States Dallas Zoo Western lowland gorilla 20081

Jenny (gorilla)

Inoperable tumour [35]

Summary quotes

See also

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References

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