Pavian dilemma in the Nuremberg Zoo: killings or rescue?

Pavian dilemma in the Nuremberg Zoo: killings or rescue?

In the Nuremberg Tiergarten, it is bubbling tremendously, because the planned fate of the Guinea-Paviane living there causes plenty of unrest. The zoo is forced to reduce the animal population, which is currently at 46 animals. A project that is not as planned

The overcrowding of the enclosure leads to disputes among the animals, which not only affects the quality of life, but also leads to injuries. The situation is anything but new. Since 1942, the Nurembergers have held the Guinea Pavian, which lives as part of a European conservation breeding program (EAZA ex-situ program). Nevertheless, the existence of animals in nature has dropped by 20 percent, which underpins its status as potentially endangered. Therefore, the zoo strives to maintain a sufficiently large and healthy group for future release. But the planned species protection program has its pitfalls.

Confuse plans and no solutions in sight

In February 2024, the topic of population management of the Paviane was publicly discussed. The zoo tried to take over from different countries, but the results are sobering. So far, there have been no concrete takeovers - neither from Slovenia, where an offer was rejected as unsuitable, nor from India and Austria, where the necessary information on housing conditions is missing. Even an offer from the Great Ape Project from Great Britain is given little chances, since it was classified as insufficient. Robert Marc Lehmann, a well -known animal rights activist, criticizes that there are supposedly other takeover offers from four countries that are ignored by the zoo. This is perceived as a targeted complication of the levy in order to finally enforce killing what the animal welfare organizations calls on the plan.

The argument of the animal garden is that the killings are part of a necessary species protection. Zoo director Dag Encke describes the situation as a "man-made dilemma". A heated debate about the ethical implications of these plans broke out in social networks, while critics are accusing the zoo not to do enough for the animals and operate with greenwashing. The animal welfare organization PETA and the German Animal Welfare Association have already expressed their concerns and threaten criminal charges.

The challenges of population management

The uncertainties are remarkable. The zoo pursues defined requirements of the Animal Welfare Act to reduce the population and has considered a respectful recycling of the animal body - also for research projects. But how many and which animals will ultimately be affected remains unclear. The Tiergarten emphasizes that they are legally obliged to provide cooperation for the diversity of biotope and to protect species. Sterilization could not bring the desired result either, since the population should continue to be preserved.

The problem is clear: an expansion of the pavian facility was already carried out in 2009, and today those responsible face a mountain of unanswered questions. While the zoo is desperately looking for solutions, the pressure from the outside is enormous. It remains the only zoo in Germany that holds Guinea paviane, and with 278 animals in Eaza zoos, the conservation breeding program is becoming increasingly important.

The challenges remain. Delivery is not possible in view of the lack of habitats while the time is pushing. It will be interesting to see how the coming weeks will run and whether the zoo finds a solution that both the animal welfare standards do justice to and can secure the medium-term population of the Guinea paviane.