Marius, the Dead Giraffe

Maruis, the Dead Giraffe

by Kat Powers

 

   In Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, a zoo had a little problem with a certain giraffe named, Marius. Marius was a healthy, young two year old giraffe living his life in peace. The problem with Marius wasn’t because of his personality, it was because of his DNA. The zoo that owned Marius was part of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). EAZA recommended to euthanize Marius because too many giraffes already had some of his genes and Copenhagen Zoo’s scientific director Bengt Holst didn’t want Marius to take up space when it could be used for a “genetically more valuable giraffe.” A zookeeper, who had killed Marius said this, “I stood behind with a rifle, and when he put his head forward and ate the rye bread, then I shot him through the brain. It sounds violent, but it means that Marius had no idea of what was coming. He got his bread, then he died.”

   Marius’ body was surrounded by adults and children when the zoo’s spokesmen, Tobias Stenbaek, decided to teach a life lesson to children. He skinned, and cut Marius into pieces in front of a crowd that included young children.

   Over 27,000 people signed an online petition to keep Marius alive, as well as several zoos offered to take him, one person offered to buy Marius for €50,000 (£41,000). But the zoo refused the offers and decided to euthanize young Marius.

Category: News