MARIUS

When I was little, my auntie gave me a book for my birthday called 'Raising Daisy Rothschild'. It was about a Rothschild giraffe living with a family in Kenya. From then on I was enchanted by these beautiful creatures.

Yesterday, an eighteen month old giraffe was killed in Copenhagen Zoo to prevent inbreeding. I was horrified.

Today, the scientific director of the zoo spoke on the radio in a very clear and unemotive way about their reasons for killing him. Marius, the giraffe was too genetically close to other giraffes in it's breeding programme and took up 'space' for a genetically stronger giraffe. Although the reasons may benefit the giraffe breeding programme in the long term, it sat uncomfortably for many and had a whiff of 'playing God, judge and jury'.

And if that wasn't bad enough, they dissected him in front of zoo visitors and then fed the carcass to the lions. According to the director, this was an educational experience, but in my opinion it was barbaric, distasteful and unnecessary. It came across as arrogant and cocky Copenhagen Zoo.

My question is, why breed the giraffes if you're going to kill them? Why not move the giraffe to another home? There were plenty of takers.

Marius's plight went viral and apparently was the most read story on the BBC website over the weekend. Incredible when you think there are wars, the Winter Olympics and horrendous flooding happening right now. I'm not sure how right that is either, but when it comes to what is seen as cruelty to animals, us humans on the whole rise against it.

So, on that note, here is my photo for Marius.