[Taxacom] Killing of zoo giraffe to avoid inbreeding

JF Mate aphodiinaemate at gmail.com
Tue Feb 11 08:40:04 CST 2014


I don´t think anybody (in this forum at least) is arguing against the
logic that Marius was, genetically speaking, dispensable. However the
emotional argument has been an unmitigated disaster:

Google hits for Marius the Giraffe 110,000
Google hits for Giraffe conservation 6,920

He even has a Wikipedia page! Not a little one mind you, but a
detailed one started three days ago. The best bit is this: "Known for:
Killed and fed to the lions". Now this is publicity money just can´t
buy.

The media coverage is even better. You´d think Copenhagen zoo is
running a modern version of the Fabulous Gourmet Club. Those 200
pounds of flesh are going to be awfully expensive. Geez. Couldn´t they
plug the animal before giving it a name and buried it?

I think an infusion of realpolitik in the whole affair would have been
a better approach. Yes, couch nature enthusiasts may be ignorant, or
emotional, or mushy-headed bleeding hearts, but that is the public,
the ones that decides with their feet where to go for fun and
ultimately where tax dollars go to. So once the giraffe became Marius
The Giraffe and the euthanasia plan broke out in the news channels,
salvage the situation somehow to avoid the backlash.  But carving
Melman and feeding it to Alex, well... it´s a tabloids dream.

Best

Jason




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