Nuremberg, Germany – The Tiergarten Nürnberg zoo has come under intense criticism after it culled 12 healthy Guinea baboons due to overcrowding in its enclosure, a move that has triggered public outcry, arrests of activists, and legal complaints from animal rights groups.
According to a statement released by the zoo on Tuesday, the decision followed years of population growth among its baboons, which had exceeded the facility’s capacity.
The enclosure, completed in 2009, was designed to house up to 25 baboons, but the population had risen to more than 40. With no available rehoming options and failed contraception efforts, the zoo claimed the culling was a “last resort.”
Zoo Director Dag Encke defended the decision, stating it had been under “yearslong consideration” and was in accordance with the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) guidelines.
The baboons culled were neither pregnant nor part of any ongoing scientific research. After being shot, samples were taken from their bodies for research, and the remains were fed to the zoo’s predators.
However, the move has drawn widespread condemnation. On Tuesday morning, the zoo abruptly closed to the public citing “operational reasons.”
Seven animal rights activists were arrested after they entered the zoo grounds in protest. One woman glued her hands to the ground near the entrance in a symbolic act of resistance.
Animal protection lawyers and groups have strongly objected to the killings. Christoph Maisack, head of the German Legal Association for Animal Protection Law, said the zoo’s breeding mismanagement “cannot constitute such a reason” for culling healthy animals.
Pro Wildlife, an animal advocacy group, filed a criminal complaint and described the act as “avoidable and illegal.” A spokesperson criticized the zoo for “irresponsible and unsustainable breeding policies” that led to the current crisis.
This is not the first time a European zoo has faced backlash for culling healthy animals. In 2014, Copenhagen Zoo caused global controversy after killing a young giraffe named Marius due to genetic compatibility issues within its breeding program.
The dissection and feeding of Marius’s body to lions was broadcast live, sparking international outrage. The Nuremberg incident has reignited debate around ethical practices in European zoos, especially regarding breeding control and population management.
While zoo authorities cite EAZA protocols to justify such decisions, animal rights groups argue that long-term reforms are urgently needed to prevent unnecessary deaths of healthy animals.
As legal proceedings begin and protests continue, the Nuremberg Zoo finds itself at the center of a growing debate over the role of modern zoos and the rights of animals under human care.