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I want to see Nuremberg's zoo director Dr Dag Encke on trial in the baboon murder case. What do I dream about at night? Of baboons with a shotgun to the temple. Maybe not anymore. It's over now.

Despite months of protests, vigils and massive resistance from animal rights activists like me and my family, Nuremberg Zoo killed twelve healthy baboons on 29 July 2025 - officially due to a lack of space. This news caused nationwide and international outrage.

The zoo itself confirmed the "downsizing" of the group in the afternoon. The group had become too large for the enclosure. There were no options for releasing them1 Euthanasia at Nuremberg Zoo 🌐 https://paddys.de/euthanasie-im-tiergarten-nuernberg/ . What a huge fuck-off. Even in the run-up to the event, animal welfare organisations and the general public accused the authorities of ruling out alternatives without the possibility of breeding from the outset and of never having a reasonable reason for the killing2 Twelve baboons killed at Nuremberg Zoo - Peta wants ... 🌐 https://web.de/magazine/wissen/tiere/zwoelf-paviane-tiergarten-nuernberg-getoetet-peta-strafanzeige-erstatten-41226254 3 Protests in Nuremberg (D): Zoo kills twelve healthy baboons 🌐 https://www.20min.ch/story/proteste-in-nuernberg-d-zoo-toetet-zwoelf-gesunde-paviane-wegen-platzmangel-103390255 4 Baboons in the crosshairs 🌐 https://paddys.de/paviane-im-fadenkreuz/ .

What should be a "reasonable reason" for killing primates anyway? After all, baboons are not "farm" animals that we want to eat. I also find the legal formulation questionable in this context. It has been for a long time. Even back in the days when I still ate meat myself.

The German Animal Welfare Act is lax enough. We must not allow such disgusting liars as zoo director Dag Encke to use the case to set a precedent5 Baboons in the crosshairs 🌐 https://paddys.de/paviane-im-fadenkreuz/ 6 Walking demonstration through Nuremberg city centre on Sat, 26 July 2025 🌐 https://paddys.de/laufdemo-durch-die-nuernberger-innenstadt/ .

Nuremberg's zoo director Dr Dag Encke is lying.

Of course there were suitable takeover offers. Encke lies without batting an eyelid. The Great Ape Project (GAP), for example, had offered to take the baboons to the Wales Ape and Monkey Sanctuary at its own expense. However, this offer was rejected by Nuremberg Zoo without explanation. For observers, one thing is certain: a way out would have been possible7 Another plan to kill "surplus" baboons at Nuremberg Zoo 🌐 https://hpd.de/artikel/erneut-toetung-ueberzaehliger-paviane-im-tiergarten-nuernberg-geplant-23102 . GAP announced that if even one baboon is killed, charges will be filed - as will other animal welfare organisations, including Pro Wildlife, PETA and the German Animal Welfare Association. The organisations see a clear violation of the Animal Welfare Act and are calling for criminal prosecution of those responsible, including zoo director Dr Dag Encke8 Criminal complaint against Nuremberg Zoo after killing ... 🌐 https://wildbeimwild.com/strafanzeige-gegen-tiergarten-nuernberg-nach-toetung-gesunder-paviane/ 9 Nuremberg Zoo: Baboons killed despite protests 🌐 https://www.infranken.de/lk/nuernberg/nuernberger-tiergarten-pavian-toetung-tierschutz-aktivisten-protest-platzmangel-strafanzeige-art-6247324 . I seriously wonder how such people can look at themselves in the mirror in the morning.

This weekend, hundreds of outraged people gathered for the "Stop the killing of Nuremberg baboons" demonstration in Nuremberg city centre, organised by Animal Rebellion and Vegan Vernetzt. Even my parents were there - also to represent me there in a dignified manner, as I am unfortunately unable to do so myself10 High profile for Nuremberg's baboons 🌐 https://paddys.de/hohe-prominenz-fuer-nuernbergs-paviane/ 11 Walking demonstration through Nuremberg city centre on Sat, 26 July 2025 🌐 https://paddys.de/laufdemo-durch-die-nuernberger-innenstadt/ .

The most prominent speakers were Dr Colin Goldner (GAP) and Dr Mark Benecke, both known nationwide for their commitment to animal welfare. The anger was clearly visible on the posters: "You call this species protection? I call it murder" and "Encke let the monkeys live!". Dozens of activists passionately protested against the killing of animals in zoos and criticised the zoo system in general12 Demonstration against the shooting of the monkeys in the zoo ... 🌐 https://home.benecke.com/publications/demonstration-gegen-die-erschiessung-der-affen-im-tierpark-nuernberg 13 Protest march against planned baboon killing in Nuremberg 🌐 https://www.br.de/nachrichten/bayern/protestzug-gegen-geplante-pavian-toetung-in-nuernberg,Us2nHUO .

Opposition to the killing of baboons and to those responsible at the zoo continues to grow. The criminal charges are mainly directed against Dr Dag Encke, the director of Nuremberg Zoo. Responsibility cannot be shifted to "population management". There were alternatives - but they were not utilised. The killing remains a symbol of the failure of animal welfare in German zoos.

The lives of animals are no longer legally worth anything in Germany. If animals bring fewer paying guests than baby animals, the zoo simply breeds new ones and shoots the old ones14 Nuremberg zoo kills twelve baboons: No other ... - FAZ 🌐 https://www.faz.net/aktuell/gesellschaft/tiere/nuernberger-tiergarten-toetet-zwoelf-paviane-keine-andere-einrichtung-gefunden-110612235.html .

And zoos successfully sell this as species protection. Zoos are shit15 Born to be killed 🌐 https://paddys.de/geboren-um-getoetet-zu-werden/ . Animal welfare sucks. On days like this, I ask myself for a brief moment why I dedicate my whole life to this shit.

It will be business as usual. I'll get a cease-and-desist letter and a complaint for defamation of character. My godchild is looking forward to his next visit to the zoo. The lawsuits against Dag Encke are dismissed.

The killing continues. My activism continues. Because Nuremberg Zoo gets away with it, all other German zoos will also kill primates in future, citing the Nuremberg judgement. Equal rights for all. If the baboons in Nuremberg Zoo have no right to life, why should any other animal in any other zoo have a right to life?

My activism continues. That might suit you, Scrooge. Now we're getting really loud.

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