Rabbit Advocacy Animal Matters

Rare Piglets Killed by Edinburgh Zoo Because of Quota

October 22, 2010 Sharon Seltzer, Care2

Two Red River Hog piglets named Sammi and Becca were euthanized at the Edinburgh Zoo after a controversial policy claimed the animals, which were part of an international breeding program for endangered species, were a “surplus of the species.” The animals were five months old.

Zoo officials were thrilled when Sammi and Becca were born at the Edinburgh Zoo.  They were the first Red River Hog piglets born at the facility since the special breeding program began for the animals in 2004.

Red River Hogs are found in the wild in western and central Africa.  They are hunted by both humans and animals.

At the time Kathleen Graham, spokeswoman at the zoo told The Herald/Scotland, “We are thrilled that the red river hogs have bred this year.  We hope that this is the first of many contributions our red river hogs make to the breeding programme.” Then in June, three more piglets were born at the zoo as part of the same controlled breeding program.  They are all males named: Ellis, Moses and Nelson. 

Because of their births the European Endangered Species Program reclassified Sammi and Becca as “a surplus of the species.”  EEP ordered the piglets to be humanely destroyed rather than re-homed at another zoo or sanctuary.

A second EEP policy forbids the pigs from being relocated until they have reached adulthood, so their destruction was ordered instead. A veterinarian at the zoo carried out the culling of the two animals.

The Edinburgh Zoo said, “As a member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, it is imperative that the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland complies with the recommendations that are given.”

Other staffers at the zoo were angry about the killing and called it “disgusting.”  One person at the zoo admitted officials did nothing to prevent the youngest babies from being conceived. They were completely aware that additional offspring would put Sammi and Becca’s lives in jeopardy. 

Apparently the zoo took the position that they “liked to keep their environment as natural as possible,” so they took a chance and the two five month old piglets paid the price. The EEP justified their position by saying their policies “strengthen the genetic diversity of the species.”

Animal activists criticized the culling and said the zoo and EEP should have found new homes for the piglets. Animal welfare charity, OneKind has organized a campaign to stop the unnecessary killing of zoo animals.

The Edinburgh Zoo has culled other animals including: Gentoo and King Penguins, European otters, warthogs and several types of monkeys. All of the animals fell under the same controlled breeding program.