ANIMAUX DOMESTIQUES ET AUTRES

Un girafon d’un an et demi en parfaite santé a été euthanasié dimanche au zoo de Copenhague, malgré des protestations d’amoureux des animaux au Danemark.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Marius a été exécuté avec un pistolet d’abattage en début de matinée, a indiqué le porte-parole du zoo, Tobias Stenbaek Bro, avant une autopsie qui était en cours dimanche matin et à laquelle étaient conviés les visiteurs souhaitant y assister. L’animal finira dépecé pour nourrir les fauves.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      "Il a été abattu à 9h20 (8H20 GMT). Cela s’est passé comme prévu", a-t-il précisé. M. Stenbaek Bro a expliqué que le zoo ne s’attendait pas à l’émotion soulevée par le sort de l’animal. "C’est toujours le droit des gens de protester. Mais bien sûr nous avons été étonnés", a-t-il déclaré.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Consanguinité :
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Le zoo avait longuement expliqué sur son site internet mercredi qu’il n’avait pas d’autre choix que de ne pas laisser le girafon devenir adulte. Dans le cadre de l’Association européenne des zoos et des aquariums (EAZA), il est en effet tenu d’éviter la consanguinité entre girafes. Or, la castration a été jugée plus cruelle et aurait "des effets indésirables". Et la réintroduction dans la nature est un processus qui a peu de chances de réussir et qui, dans le cas des girafes, n’est pas souhaité par les pays africains. Pour des raisons génétiques, Marius n’a pas pu trouver refuge dans l’un des autres établissements du réseau de l’EAZA, qui en compte 300.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Sauvez Marius :
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                L’idée de sa mort a révolté des internautes. Dimanche matin, plus de 5.200 d’entre eux étaient inscrits à un groupe Facebook appelé "Sauvez Marius". Près de 3.400 avaient signé une pétition en danois sur skrivunder.net, et près de 24.000 une autre pétition, en anglais, sur thepetitionsite.com, soit 10 fois plus que samedi soir. Cependant, la campagne en faveur du girafon a été ignorée par les deux principales associations de défense des animaux danoises, Dyrenes Beskyttelse ("protection des animaux") et Anima (pour le véganisme).

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Etonnement :
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Le zoo de Frösö, à Ostersund (Suède), qui n’est pas membre de l’EAZA, a révélé samedi au quotidien suédois Expressen avoir demandé sans succès à récupérer Marius. Interrogé par ce même journal, un responsable de l’Association des zoos suédois, Jonas Wahlström, a dit comprendre l’euthanasie, mais s’est étonné de l’autopsie ouverte au public. "Si on annonçait ça dans les zoos suédois, je crois que le personnel se ferait presque lapider", a-t-il estimé.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Beverly Hills :
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Samedi soir, le quotidien danois Ekstrabladet avait aussi rapporté les propos d’un imprésario danois installé à Los Angeles, Claus Hjelmback, qui disait avoir trouvé un acheteur. "Une des amis proches, milliardaire, a dit qu’elle voulait transférer quelques millions là-bas pour que nous puissions acheter le girafon. Il aurait tout à fait pu habiter dans son jardin à Beverly Hills. Mais le directeur n’était pas intéressé par une vente. Je suis en colère", a-t-il dit.

Dès l’annonce de l’euthanasie, le zoo avait fait savoir que sa politique était de ne pas vendre ses animaux.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          (Source : AFP)