# Danish zoo euthanizes shealthy giraffe. Rage, or meh? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 11, 2014, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056 "2014-02-11T14:10:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056/41 "2014-02-11T20:41:20Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > “Autopsy” is a weird way to put it. “Cause of death: we shot it.” True, “dissection” is probably closer to what they meant. But the word the used on NPR was “autopsy”, I’m almost positive. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056/42 "2014-02-11T21:00:05Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > True, “dissection” is probably closer to what they meant. But the word the used on NPR was “autopsy”, I’m almost positive. I think strictly speaking, an autopsy is poking around in a dead human specifically to determine or confirm the cause of death. Everything else is a necropsy. And a postmortem can be of either when the cause of death is already known but there are reasons to take a look. So I’d call this a postmortem dissection/butchering. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056/43 "2014-02-11T21:10:52Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > I read the title and thought this was going to be about a giraffe in a stealthy sheath – you know, shealthy. In another attempt to prove what an idiot I am, I actually didn’t even consider a typo. I actually googled and tried to figure out what shealthy meant and how it fit in context with the post. Honest to god, I swear I am a moron. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056/44 "2014-02-11T21:22:34Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > True, “dissection” is probably closer to what they meant. But the word the used on NPR was “autopsy”, I’m almost positive. I think it was too. Didn’t strike me as odd until just now. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056/45 "2014-02-11T21:59:57Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > They should have had a fund raising barbecue with some of it. How often does one get to taste giraffe? And the hide would make a cool rug. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056/46 "2014-02-11T22:22:28Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Why? Why not breed/display prey animals, and then use them as food for the carnivores in the zoo? They need meat from somewhere, and if the zoo raises the prey animals and charges admission for people to see them, then isn’t this is a better deal for everyone than paying a farmer to raise/slaughter/deliver sides of beef to the zoo? Admission fees for people to come see giraffes/goats/wildebeest offsets the cost of feeding them; the same can’t be said for buying beef from a farm. Considering the housing needs and the cost/pound of feed, etc., I still suspect it’s way more cost-effective to et the meat elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056/47 "2014-02-11T22:43:05Z")
Look, we know what happened here. It was the lion’s turn to create the February menu. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056/48 "2014-02-12T02:39:28Z")
The thing that bugs me about it was that they gave him a name. You don’t kill something with a name in front of a bunch of kids. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056/49 "2014-02-12T09:38:31Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > The thing that bugs me about it was that they gave him a name. You don’t kill something with a name in front of a bunch of kids. My aunt always calls her sheep things like “Rosemary” and “Mint Jelly”. They come when she calls them. I’ve seen them butchered and I’ve eaten them, even when I was little. I am fine, thanks. I don’t see how it’s any different than what we do to cows, and bear in mind this giraffe probably had a fairly decent life compared to, say, veal. Why shouldn’t a zoo do what farmers do all the time? If it is useful to them to let animals breed to feed the lions and to attract visitors, rather than to sustain the gene pool, then I see no problem in that. The alternative is: - not attracting the visitors who come to see the baby giraffe, - adults & children shielded from reality, happily munching their foie gras and veal without knowing how it was butchered, - lions eating beef that was bred for food, killed and butchered anyway, this beef was presumably also not a fabulous contribution to the gene pool. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056/50 "2014-02-12T14:02:26Z")
> [@gracer](#): > > My aunt always calls her sheep things like “Rosemary” and “Mint Jelly”. They come when she calls them. I’ve seen them butchered and I’ve eaten them, even when I was little. I am fine, thanks. One day a man drove by a farm and saw a three-legged pig. The man went up to the farmer and said, “Excuse me sir, but why does that pig only have 3 legs?” “Well,” said the farmer, “that there pig is very special. One time my wife was cooking something she stepped out of the kitchen and it caught on fire. No one in the house knew about it but the pig and he saved me, my wife, and my 2 kids.” “That’s amazing sir but why does that pig only have three legs?” said the man. “Then there was that time the pig saw a big storm coming and we didn’t. The pig ran into the house and dragged us out to the storm cellar. If it weren’t for that pig we would all be dead.” “But still, that doesn’t explain why the pig only has 3 legs.” “And I remember the time my youngest son was stuck up in a tree but I was too far away to hear him scream. The pig came running towards me and led me to where he was.” “Well, that is miracle but how come that pig only has 3 legs?” the man said quite annoyed at this point. “Well,” said the farmer, “with a pig that special… you don’t eat 'em all at once.” ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056/51 "2014-02-12T14:32:41Z")
Rage about how this particular case was handled. Meh about zoo’s euthanising animals in general. The reason they gave for euthanising him was that they couldn’t breed from him. Fine. But they had many offers from other places willing to let him live out his natural life. Places that were able to properly provide for him and were willing to pay all the relocation costs. I don’t understand why they didn’t’ accept any of those offers. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056/52 "2014-02-12T15:21:41Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Considering the housing needs and the cost/pound of feed, etc., I still suspect it’s way more cost-effective to et the meat elsewhere. But if you offset the cost with the revenue that those animals bring in, it may be more cost effective than it looks at first glance. Put me in the meh camp. Touring the packing plant in Winnipeg when I was in my teens put me off meat for a few months but as others have noted upthread, it’s a good thing to know where your food comes from, not only your locally sourced carrots but that sirloin as well. It might make you feel better to believe that meat comes ffrom neat styrofoam and shrink wrapped packages but you should know the truth and respect what you consume. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056/53 "2014-02-12T17:57:29Z")
> [@sandra\_nz](#): > > The reason they gave for euthanising him was that they couldn’t breed from him. Fine. But they had many offers from other places willing to let him live out his natural life. Places that were able to properly provide for him and were willing to pay all the relocation costs. I don’t understand why they didn’t’ accept any of those offers. Because he would have been genetically useless no matter what zoo he went to. This is the Danish zoo thinking of the big picture. If other zoos have space available for a giraffe, then they should keep that space open until a genetically valuable giraffe (i.e. one that brings sufficient genetic diversity to the captive giraffe population) needs a place to stay. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056/54 "2014-02-12T18:04:51Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Because he would have been genetically useless no matter what zoo he went to. This is the Danish zoo thinking of the big picture. If other zoos have space available for a giraffe, then they should keep that space open until a genetically valuable giraffe (i.e. one that brings sufficient genetic diversity to the captive giraffe population) needs a place to stay. And, of course, people may offer very good homes to all the cows in the world, but if you want to feed your lion you’d do best to slaughter your cow/giraffe. What’s next, outrage that farmers choose to butcher cattle instead of giving them to vegetarians to keep in the garden? ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056/55 "2014-02-12T19:02:18Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > You know who else killed for the sake of genetics. > [@kayaker](#): > > Mendel. But who really cares about peas? 😃 Genius. Pure genius. Thanks for this - best thing I’ve read all week. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056/56 "2014-02-12T19:24:30Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > Rage. > > Not true. There were other zoos in Europe and America willing to pay to take him. This zoo bred him, knowing what genes he would have. The truth is, baby animals bring visitors to the zoo. Easy to breed, lots of money coming in from people looking at the ickle wittle babies. Then it’s just another mouth to feed for the next 30 years. > > Zoos have a responsibility to breed for long-term goals. If they’re over-breeding, they should have their license revoked. > > StG I’m with you. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056/57 "2014-02-12T19:25:04Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Mendel. But who really cares about peas? Why not give peas a chance? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2014, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056/58 "2014-02-12T20:53:46Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Why not give peas a chance? Mmmm. Whirled peas. [That would be harsher punishment for parole violators, Stan. And world peace.] ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056/59 "2014-02-13T00:30:38Z")
For those outraged, here’s a bit more info on the zoo’s stance. This zoo, and European zoos in general, have a different perspective on population management. They prefer not to use methods like single-sex exhibits or hormonal contraception because they choose not to deny the animals in their care from having and raising young. The argument for this is that we already remove so much of their natural behavior (e.g., predatory or prey behavior, range patrolling, social dynamics), that allowing these animals to experience mating, pregnancy and parenting, is good for their mental health. I applaud the zoo director for bringing these issues to light; but I question his PR approach. The internet is full of animal lovers. ---
**Author:** ![amorali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3e96dc/32.png) [@amorali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amorali)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056/60 "2014-02-13T01:23:13Z")
I think it’s sad. The animal has to live it’s life in captivity and then they choose to kill it rather than accept the offers from other zoos. Zoo animals are more like pets, they have names and people who go to the zoo a lot get to remember them and look for them over time. If they did that at our zoo I would be so disgusted. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/danish-zoo-euthanizes-shealthy-giraffe-rage-or-meh/681056.md?page=4)