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Marius, the Giraffe

The Copenhagen Zoo that killed a healthy two-year-old male giraffe Sunday morning said that they are a member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, and that, as a member of the group, could not exchange, or sell, the young giraffe to any institution that does not belong to EAZA.  Several other zoos and a Wildlife Park in Yorkshire, England had tried to rescue Marius from death.  The Wildlife Park is a member of EAZA, but was told that since they own another older male giraffe that is closely related to Marius, their offer was turned down.  I was horrified to learn that the giraffe was killed with a bolt gun in front of a group of children, and, that as they watched, the giraffe was then butchered for feeding to the lions.

I had thought that Marius was killed by a bullet, when I read yesterday that he was "shot dead."  I assume the person wielding the bolt gun was practiced, as I haven't seen anything about a second shot... but, a bolt gun?  It is, essentially, a large metal bolt in a tube; pulling the trigger releases an extremely strong spring, which pushes the bolt forward.  The barrel of a bolt gun is placed against the victim's skull, and the bolt punches a hole through the animal's bone and back into the brain.  It is frequently used on horses and cattle.

I understand why a gun was used to kill the giraffe - medicines or poisons to kill it, or "put it to sleep," would contaminate the giraffe's body, and then it couldn't be used as dinner for the large carnivores - waste not, want not.  But the killer has to be standing next to the victim when a bolt gun is used, and that just disgusts me.  The animal trusts you enough to allow you into close proximity and you kill it.... ugh.

  Apparently the EAZA is becoming too good at breeding giraffes - if they have enough that they can kill them and feed them to other zoo inmates, shouldn't they look outside their membership for other owners and breeders?   -  One cannot tranquilize a giraffe when it is standing, as any fall can damage that incredibly long and delicate neck - so neutering the males is not a viable alternative - but, now, killing human-friendly animals because of their blood lines?  I just don't see it and I don't want the world to accept it, either.

Death of a Giraffe

Yesterday I cleaned my patio - shoveled the accumulated snow off the concrete and out into the yard, swept up the bird seed and scattered that, swept up and bagged a few leaves and small bits of trash that had been blown into the area.  Then I refilled the bird seed basin, put out nuts for the squirrels, and tossed broken baugette rounds out for the ravens, crows, and starlings.  We enjoyed sunshine all morning, and into mid-afternoon, then clouds started piling up.  The weather guy last night said that Boulder might get .2 inches of snow over the next 24 hours, but he thought it would be "a dusting, or less."  So I was surprised to get up this morning and find that all the squirrels trails in the snow were filled in, and that there was more than a half-inch of snow on the patio.  It's 19 degrees outside, snow pellets called grauple are falling, and there is also an ice fog - quite different from the 52 degrees we had yesterday afternoon!
  Oh, well...  this is normal in Boulder.  My kits have been out for over an hour - bringing in lots of mud on their feet.  Lovey has been in and out frequently, and left a multitude of tracks.  Nedi was in hope of capturing a bird, but (luckily) that didn't happen.  He stayed out for the longest time, and gave me a heart-broken look when I closed the door after he came back inside.
  Once again, I have the NBC Sports network on and am watching the Winter Olympics.  I was really hoping that Bode Miller would equal his training run in the downhill competition, and bring home gold for his kids.  But that wasn't to be...
  I am, once again, upset by a happening in the animal world.  The Copenhagen zoo put down (killed) a perfectly healthy 2- year-old male giraffe, and fed his remains to their lions.  I am not upset about them feeding the remains to the lion - I am upset that they euthanized the giraffe.  The zoo's explanation was that this young male would cause too much close in-breeding in their stock.  My question is, why not offer the young male to other zoos around the world, so as to widen their genetic pool?  Why kill a healthy, athletic, well bred 2-year-old?  Could not a sale, switch, or trade have been agreed upon?  The people of Copenhagen and Denmark signed a petition begging that the giraffe not be killed.  It was ignored.  I'd like to know why.  Cost? Time? Facilities? Why?

Critter Photos

Bolivian night monkey

Caiman emerging from egg sac

Giraffe family, aged (left to right) 2 months, 9 months, and 21 years

Desert sand cat queen and kittens

One-week-old giraffe

Zebra swallowtail butterfly

Wild Things

Cygnets and Mom in Weymouth, England

Silvery marmosets

One-week-old giraffe smiles

Young mandrill

Osborne, the sea lion

Spring Critters

A three week old porcupine cub

Crowned crane

Newly sheared alpacas

Baby Eric does not look amused...

Swedish dormouse