Captive Ambassadors Quotes

“In the past, the disposal of unwanted surplus animals was facilitated by exotic animal auctions; some occurring seasonally, while others were monthly events. Dealers would acquire animals from AZA-accredited facilities through the online databases of available surplus zoo animals and arrange for their transfer and sale at auction facilities (Green, 1999; Webber, 2022). Zoos promoted the breeding of captive endangered animals and argued that proximity to these animals engendered respect and provided an ex-situ opportunity for learning about our natural world, yet these same animals (quite literally) were treated as 'stock' when deemed surplus. Entire herds of endangered species are said to be dragged "screaming" onto auction blocks to endure the degradation of being sold to the highest bidder: a tragic irony considering their former designation as revered endangered animals and 'respected' genetic ambassadors (Derby, 1997, p. 11).”
― Eve D'Vincent, Captive Ambassadors: The Hidden Lives of Zoo Animals

“One young giraffe, Marius, made international news in what became a very public display of management euthanasia by the Copenhagen Zoo. When Marius was born, his fate was in the hands of Jörg Jebram, who is the giraffe coordinator for the EAZA. When the giraffe turned one, Jebram informed the Copenhagen Zoo that the giraffe was "genetically unnecessary" (Kaufman, 2012, p. 1). Despite multiple offers for placement at alternative zoological facilities and sanctuaries, the Copenhagen Zoo ignored such offers and continued plans to execute Marius. On the morning of February 9, 2014, Marius was led out from the giraffe house and into the adjacent yard. He was fed a slice of rye bread and when he stood up, and while chewing the tasty treat, he was shot in the head by a zoo employee who had been waiting with a loaded Winchester Rifle. The execution of Marius was not well received by the public, nor was the public dissection of his corpse. Chris Zimmerman, doctoral researcher at the Copenhagen Business School, counted over two hundred and thirty thousand Marius-related tweets, in both English and Danish, expressing outrage over Marius' tragic fate (Kaufman, 2012).”
― Eve D'Vincent, Captive Ambassadors: The Hidden Lives of Zoo Animals

“Typical animal biographies include the name of the featured animal, date of birth, age, place of origin (for the species), physical appearance, species-specific behavior when found in their natural habitat, and natural and anthropogenic factors threatening survival. It should be noted that many zoo animal narratives explain how certain species migrate great distances, travel in herds, and form highly selective social groups, revealing the utter impossibility of meeting these needs in a captive setting.”
― Eve D'Vincent, Captive Ambassadors: The Hidden Lives of Zoo Animals