Ann Littlewood
Well-Known Member
This thread has discussed euthanizing young animals. What about the old specimens that no longer have breeding potential, don't look that good on display, and take space away from young animals needed for the species survival plans? Yet staff and the public may know and love these geezers and want them to live as long as they are comfortable. How should zoos handle these situations? I've found it easy to accept a tough policy on logical grounds--until it's time to put it into effect. Then I find my cortex yields pretty quickly to my heart.