Bengt Holst is the Director of Research and Conservation at Copenhagen Zoo. On Sunday, February 9, the zoo had a healthy young giraffe named Marius killed, on the grounds that the zoo did not need his genes for breeding and that he was "surplus."
There were many efforts both nationally and internationally to try to save Marius' life. Bengt Holst, the zoo's scientific director, turned away offers from other zoos to rehome the young healthy giraffe. Almost 30,000 people signed a petition to save Marius' life but the zoo still went ahead and killed him.
Marius' killing was unnecessary and unethical. Please sign this petition to have Bengt Holst removed from his position at the Copenhagen Zoo.
This is not a personal attack on Mr. Holst but as scientific director he is responsible for the zoo's actions.
Marius should still be alive.
This document contains over 120,000 signatures from the petition "Fire Bengt Holst From the Copenhagen Zoo For Having Marius the Giraffe Killed"
This was not a personal attack on Mr. Holst but as scientific director he is responsible for the zoo's actions. I do not condone any aggressive or violent opinions expressed by individuals towards Mr.Holst or any other staff and organisations that this petition may contain.
I hope this petition demonstrates to you the extend of which the greater public is concerned about animal welfare within zoos, wildlife parks and breeding programs and hopefully this will stimulate debate regarding better regulations and policies towards animal welfare within your organisation.
Tenna Toftegaard
