[WonderMomma]

Originally Posted by Fenrira ↗

It sounds fucked, but the reality is that in the wild a genetically unhealthy animal, or animals experiencing overcrowding/a shift in dynamics in their social group would likely experience a much slower and more painful death than humane euthanasia. And in the cases you mention, at least the bodies were used for either education (all animals in zoos are necropsied after death) or to feed other animals rather than being wasted. I’m a biologist/park ranger and the harsh reality is that sometimes selective culling is the healthiest thing for a species or ecosystem in terms of long-term conservation outlook. I regularly trap invasive hogs at work but all of the meat is donated to food shelters or taken home by park employees. Nothing goes to waste.

I understand your point, and I respect the reality of what you deal with in wildlife management. In the Denmark cases, what bothered me was that there actually were alternatives in at least one situation. When Copenhagen Zoo decided to kill Marius the giraffe, several facilities offered to take him, including other zoos and wildlife parks, but the zoo refused because those places were not part of their breeding program. Critics argued that more effort could have been made to find a solution. With the lions, the zoo claimed no suitable facilities were available, although again there was debate about whether enough was done to look for options before euthanizing them.

It's the playing of god for convenience that gets to me.

With invasive hogs, I agree that culling is sometimes necessary. Those situations are ecological problems caused by human disruption, and responsible management is part of protecting the broader ecosystem.

In my own life I deal with that same inner conflict. I have seven rescued parrots, and they have to sleep in cages for their safety. It breaks my heart every day, but I did not create the situation that put them in captivity, and I cannot release them in Pennsylvania. All I can do is give them the best life possible within the limits that exist. And if the time comes where I can no longer give them the best care, I wouldn't even think about euthanizing them for convenience.

Most of these ethical dilemmas come from human meddling in the animal world for profit, convenience, or clout. I wish any of this was avoidable, but it is the reality we created, and all we can do is try to make better decisions where we can.

[kellyhound]

another pic.

[ninjasalad]

Why did you murder those 50 prostitutes? Well, I think I got a little twisted when my parents let me watch a man get eaten by lions when I was 5.