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On February 9, 2014 healthy two year old giraffe named Marius was selected and subsequently forwarded in front of the public in Copenhagen Zoo… The zoo shockingly justified the move by claiming that its genes had already been introduced to the captive giraffe population in Europe, and that for a young male giraffe in zoos that were members of European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA).
Then the body parts of Marius were fed to the zoo predators. On the seventh anniversary of this terrible act, Born free called for European zoos to move away from captive giraffes and instead focus their conservation resources on protecting giraffe populations in the wild.
“What the hell are we doing with these meek giants in the name of conservation and education? Giraffes in captivity can suffer physically, psychologically and socially. Their imprisonment in captivity does nothing for true conservation of the species in its natural wild habitat, said WAN co-founder of Born Free Will Travers OBE. “The future of wild giraffes remains uncertain. We must do everything we can to protect them and reduce the threats they face. But I’m sure of one thing: keeping these magnificent animals locked up for life is not an option. That’s why Born Free does everything it can to keep them where they belong – in the wild! Please share our report and thank you for your support. “
“A zoo is not a place for giraffes, where these complex, social, versatile animals are subject to social deprivation, environmental restrictions and inadequate nutrition. As a result, giraffes in zoos often suffer from health problems and stereotyped behaviors, ”said Dr. Stephanie Jason, Born Free’s wildlife advisor. statement. “The ex situ management of giraffes in European zoos has a significant impact on the welfare of individual animals and does not play a clear role in the overall conservation of the species.”
It is estimated that the number of prisoners in captivity exceeds 800 giraffes in zoos Europe, including more 150 in the UK, Born Free’s appeal stems from their new report, Limited giants, which highlights the deleterious physical and mental effects of captivity on giraffes. Key findings include:
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Social deprivation: Wild giraffes live in complex societies. Females are incredibly sociable, form long-term relationships with other females, and also create child groups for their offspring. In contrast, many captive giraffes do not have the ability to form complex communities due to the limited ability of zoos to house large giraffe communities in a variety of landscapes. Several zoos only contain one or two giraffes, including Knowsley Safari Park, Noah’s Ark Zoo, Twycross Zoo and ZSL London Zoo in the United Kingdom. Several European zoos, including Dudley Zoological Garden and ZSL London Zoo in the United Kingdom, also contain only two female giraffes, while some contain only one female.
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Environmental restrictions: Wild giraffes walk for about a third of the day. Limited space in zoos is detrimental to the well-being of giraffes and is associated with issues such as regrown hooves and stereotypical behavior. The European climate is also forcing giraffes to restrict outdoor access. Usually simple and naked giraffe zoo enclosures are incomparable to the African savannah and forest habitats of wild giraffes.
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Inadequate nutrition: Wild giraffes spend most of their day feeding mainly on the leaves and stems of trees and shrubs, as well as small amounts of climbing plants, grasses, flowers, fruits and bark. This is not possible in European zoos. Unfortunately, many nutritional diseases have been reported in giraffes in European zoos, and various aspects of the captive diet and its manifestations have been associated with stereotyped oral behavior. In many European zoos, giraffes are still fed inappropriate foods such as grains, fruits and vegetables.
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Health disorders: Giraffes in European zoos also suffer from lameness, which shortens their lifespan, and many do not reach more than 15 years. One survey showed that 54% groups of giraffes in EAZA member zoos have reported at least one case of regrown hooves, laminitis, joint problems, or a combination of all three. Giraffes in zoos also often suffer from trauma, including being trapped, entangled, slipping and falling, which can be fatal.
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Stereotypical behavior: This repetitive behavior seen in captive animals is caused by frustration, repeated coping and / or central nervous system dysfunction and is associated with poor animal welfare.
“The strategic and humane rejection of giraffes in European zoos will require careful planning. Stopping breeding will be the first step, as not increasing the captive population will mean that over time, when the animals die “naturally,” the captive population will begin to decline, ”continued Dr. Jason. “To improve the welfare of giraffes in captivity, each zoo needs to assess social groups, the environment, nutrition, health and stereotypical behavior of giraffes, and make changes to improve the lives of individual animals. Where appropriate, this may include the consolidation of animal collections to provide a more appropriate social grouping and placement of the remaining giraffes in the largest and most challenging environments. ”
Born Free is urging zoos to invest in protecting giraffes in the wild, rather than spending money on continued breeding and expansion of captive giraffe collections in Europe. Edinburgh zoo reportedly spent £ 2.7 million (US $ 3.7 million) on the new giraffe enclosure.
“Such financial resources could be better used to support the conservation of wild giraffes, protect and restore vast landscapes, and reverse degradation, fragmentation and loss of habitat,” said Dr Nikki Tagg, Conservation Manager, Born Free. “This level of investment has the potential to bring significant benefits to wild giraffes by integrating and protecting natural habitats in northern Kenya, Somalia and Tanzania, as well as raising community awareness and engagement, mitigating conflict and working to combat poaching.”
The full Born Free report can be viewed HERE!
A post from European Zoos called for an end to captive giraffes after a new Born Free report first appeared in World Animal News.
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