Nuremberg Zoo Faces Backlash After Baboon Culling

Nuremberg Zoo in Germany euthanized 12 healthy Guinea baboons after efforts to resolve severe overcrowding in an enclosure built for 25 but housing over 40 animals failed. The decision to cull, first announced in February 2024, followed unsuccessful attempts at relocation and contraception, and was presented by zoo officials as a last resort to prevent aggression and injury. Animal rights groups such as Pro Wildlife and the German Animal Welfare Association have filed or announced plans for criminal complaints, condemning the zoo's breeding policies and the culling as avoidable and illegal. Protests escalated with activists breaking into the zoo and gluing themselves to the ground before being detained by police. The zoo stated it fed the euthanized baboons to predator animals and asserted compliance with European zoo association guidelines. The incident has renewed debate over zoo breeding practices and animal welfare laws, prompting calls for stricter oversight.