Denmark’s Aalborg Zoo Controversially Asks for Pet Donations to Feed Predators
The Aalborg Zoo, located in northern Denmark, is seeking donations of unwanted domestic animals, including guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens, and even small horses. Rather than using these animals for exhibition purposes, the zoo intends to utilize them as food for its carnivorous predators.
In a recent Facebook post, the zoo explained that this initiative aims to “replicate the natural food chain of the animals.” The post included an image of a lynx with an open mouth and sharp teeth, emphasizing the animals’ intended diet.
The zoo further stated that providing chickens, rabbits, and guinea pigs to its carnivores not only minimizes waste but also ensures natural behavior, proper nutrition, and overall well-being for the predators.
On its website, the Aalborg Zoo clarified that these donated animals will be humanely euthanized by trained staff prior to being served as food. The zoo houses a variety of carnivorous predators, including Asiatic lions, European lynx, and Sumatran tigers.
The zoo’s request for donations has sparked a lively online debate. Some argue against the notion of transforming pets into prey, while others support the zoo’s efforts to maintain natural feeding behaviors.
Pia Nielsen, deputy director of Aalborg Zoo, confirmed that this practice has been in place for several years and is common in Denmark. She stated that providing carnivores with meat, including fur and bones, provides them with a more natural diet.
Nielsen added that euthanizing animals that require it for various reasons and utilizing them as food for the predators makes practical sense. In Denmark, this practice is widely accepted, with many guests and partners appreciating the opportunity to contribute, according to Nielsen. The donated livestock typically consist of chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, and horses.
While CNN has reached out to Aalborg Zoo for comment, it’s important to note that this is not the first time Danish zoos have faced scrutiny regarding their animal feeding practices and population control methods. In 2014, the Copenhagen Zoo in the Danish capital euthanized a healthy young giraffe named Marius to prevent inbreeding, despite a petition aimed at stopping the decision. The giraffe’s carcass was used for research and feeding carnivores at the zoo – lions, tigers, and leopards.
Following this, public criticism resurfaced when the zoo euthanized four lions to make room for a new male and breed a new generation of cubs.