Sometimes saving species does involve killing animals, whether it be from within that species or another interacting one. It's just part of conservation. To understand why Copenhagen is so open about it I suggest researching 'breed to cull' and why many believe that's better than using contraception. You don't have to agree with it, but at least then you can argue against it from an informed perspective. I think it's fair to say that Copenhagen manage their animals much more proactively than zoos in the UK at least (possibly this is true across Denmark). It would be impossible to admit in the UK that you had euthanised simply to create space for younger animals (specifically I'm referencing the adult lions that were PTS last year), and in truth there is no conservation value to some of these actions. I don't like this because I think it ignores the fact that animals have personalities and that they can have intrinsic worth. You can use popular animals with celebrity status to tell conservation stories and teach people that animals matter. It's harder to do that the Danish way I think. But that's probably just my cultural baggage talking. If you are not vegan you really can't criticise this from a moral perspective. As meat eaters we kill animals purely for our own pleasure. To call it anything else is simply untrue. Animals that are kept for meat exist purely because there is a market for them. You are not controlling their populations except in the sense that you are maintaining them at their current level. Many you should try eating only rare breeds? What's happening here is that as a new member you are going to be exposed to a lot of people who have spent their whole lives in or around zoos (I am not one of these people). There is a huge wealth of knowledge here. A lot of what zoos present to the public isn't really reality. It can be a bit rough coming to terms with that, and occasionally you will find you will find people telling you you are wrong or even naïve. Some of them may even do so quite rudely. But that's just life on the internet. You can do whatever you want, but I find asking questions to almost always be the best approach when faced with something you don't understand. Turns out the popcorn didn't taste all that great, eh? FG
My take away opinion from this three Zoo experience, was that London Zoo is the most educational, conservation-minded and ethical facility. I had a hard time finding an exhibit there that I didn't like. Berlin needs some improvement, Copenhagen is archaic and needs a massive overhaul of its facilities. The elephants at both facilities should be sent elsewhere
I think you're being a bit harsh on Copenhagen. Can you explain your reasoning? I would agree about the elephants, although Berlin will be building a new enclosure across the bridge.
you're right, I was a little unfair. The Tasmanian Devil Exhibit was excellent. The Savannah Exhibit and Pampas exhibit were pretty good. The Polar Bear Exhibit, Wolf and Red Panda exhibits were not bad at all. I had more of an issue with the Primate exhibits, Elephants, Lion and Bear Exhibits. A big problem with the Zoo in general, is that most of its structures are old and solidly built, making the prospect of building newer exhibits to replace them very expensive. Older exhibits are also not usually very aesthetically appealing. The Zoo should continue to renovate the older exhibits, especailly the indoor holding areas.
Ah, I remember this thread. I just would like to apologize for my rather lack of knowledge back when I first joined zoochat (and my mediocre spelling). I was not fully educated on the subject and for that, I once again apologize to Batto, Funky Gibbon, Gulo Gulo, TealLovingDave, and chimpangeek.
