City of Augsburg criticizes zoo after baboon levy

Augsburg - City of Augsburg criticizes zoo after baboon levy

Following the controversial transfer of two baboons to a research institution, the management of Augsburg Zoo has been sharply criticized by the city. "As a shareholder, the city of Augsburg expects the zoo management to inform it in advance of any events that could damage the zoo's image and to discuss the procedure together," Augsburg's environmental officer Reiner Erben (Green Party) told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper (Wednesday).

The zoo had given two male mantled baboons to the German Primate Center in Göttingen, a facility of the Leibniz Institute for Primate Research. The zoo had emphasized that the baboons were "not used for animal experiments".

Animal rights activists have protested against the zoo 's actions. The association Doctors Against Animal Experiments assumes that the baboons are bred in Göttingen and that "their offspring are cruelly used for scientifically nonsensical animal experiments in which they are mistreated and ultimately killed".

The organization Peta Germany expressed similar sentiments. It is "repulsive" that zoos breed animals as crowd-pullers and then "regularly dispose of them like soulless objects", explained Peta. The municipal zoo in Augsburg has also been confronted with critical comments from many citizens on Facebook for days.

Environmental officer Erben said that zoo director Barbara Jantschke was responsible for managing the zoo's business and therefore also for the disposal of animals. However, he announced that the Supervisory Board would deal with the matter. "A common line will also be established with the zoo for the future procedure for the disposal of zoo animals."

On Wednesday, the Augsburg city hall coalition of the CSU and the Greens submitted a motion for the administration to work with the zoo to develop a solution whereby animals should only be given to other German zoos if possible. According to the joint motion, the transfer of animals to research institutions is "ethically questionable". "There are already animal-free methods for most experiments."

The zoo director did not initially comment on the criticism from the town hall on Wednesday. However, the zoo once again justified the transfer of the two males to the institute. This could have reduced tensions in the 55-strong group of Augsburg baboons. On the other hand, the two baboons in Göttingen would receive "good care with a relaxed environment".

German Primate Center Facebook page Augsburg Zoo Statement Doctors against animal experiments Statement Peta Report "Augsburger Allgemeine" Motion CSU and Greens

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1. The city of Augsburg, as a shareholder of Augsburg Zoo, expects the management to discuss events that could harm the zoo's image with them in advance, as stated by environmental officer Reiner Erben from Augsburg.
2. The German Primate Center in Göttingen, a research institution affiliated with the Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, received two male mantled baboons from Augsburg Zoo.
3. Animal rights activists, such as Doctors Against Animal Experiments, have criticized the transfer of baboons to Göttingen, claiming that the baboons are bred and used in animal experiments.
4. Peta Germany shares similar sentiments, accusing zoos of breeding animals for entertainment and then disposing of them in an inhumane manner.
5. The Augsburg municipal zoo has received criticism on Facebook from numerous citizens due to the baboon transfer incident.
6. Erben noted that zoo director Barbara Jantschke is responsible for managing the zoo and its animal disposal procedures.
7. The Supervisory Board of the Augsburg Zoo will address the matter, and a common procedure for disposing of zoo animals will be established with the zoo in the future.
8. The CSU and Green Party coalition submitted a motion to the Augsburg city hall, urging the administration and the zoo to only give animals to other German zoos if possible to avoid sending them to research institutions.
9. The transfer of animals to research institutions is ethically questionable, according to the motion submitted by the CSU and Greens, as animal-free methods are available for most experiments in Germany, specifically in the Swabian region of Bavaria.

Source: www.stern.de