Nuremberg Zoo has confirmed that baboons killed to keep down numbers were fed to predators, amid public criticism after it was revealed the animals had been dismembered after death.

News of the culling sparked complaints from animal groups over zoo ethics, animal welfare, and culling practices, with the animals decapitated and some having their hands and feet removed.

What did the zoo say about the baboon killings?

Deputy zoo director Jörg Beckmann told the DPA news agency that the skulls and brains from the bodies were separated for scientific purposes.

Six of the 12 Guinea baboons, which were culled due to overcrowding, were then fed to lions, tigers, maned wolves and marbled polecats. Hands and feet were removed "out of respect for visitors" who would see the carnivores feeding, Beckmann said.

Skeletons of four baboons are being prepared for museum display, the zoo said. Two baboons died during sedation and were sent for pathology rather than being used as feed.

Beckmann said the zoo had openly communicated in advance that the baboons would be used as food.

"We continue to be transparent and stand by that decision," he said. He explained that whole-animal feeding provides crucial dental health benefits for carnivores, as bones and fur help prevent tartar buildup, unlike processed food.

"Unlike many pets, our animals don't need tartar removal under general anesthesia."

Beckmann also emphasized the behavioral benefits of such feeding practices, which mimic natural hunting conditions.

"Evolution equipped them with claws and teeth for this. There's no nature documentary about big predators where they don't spectacularly hunt or feed on a carcass."

The zoo had said the baboons were killed because the enclosure was chronically overcrowded and no longer met welfare standards. Attempts to rehome the animals failed, and contraceptive measures for the females had not worked as hoped.

In a statement last week, the zoo said it acknowledged the emotional impact of the move, saying it understood that many people are "confused, affected, or angry."

The zoo explained that the group had grown to more than 40 animals — far exceeding the enclosure's intended capacity of 25 adult baboons.

What has been the reaction?

Animal welfare groups reacted strongly. The Nuremberg-Fürth public prosecutor's office confirmed it had received hundreds of criminal complaints over the allegedly unlawful killings and is now reviewing the case.

The activist group Animal Rebellion began setting up a protest camp near the zoo on Monday.

The camp is expected to remain until the following Monday, with organizers demanding an immediate halt to further killings and an end to breeding programs.

In a statement, the zoo said: "Every protest that remains peaceful is acceptable to us."

Why did the zoo consider the baboon cull necessary?

Nuremberg Zoo said the culling was a last resort after years of trying to control the baboon population through non-lethal means, with contraception having only a limited effect and disrupting natural group dynamics.

Despite outreach to many institutions, no suitable home was found for the surplus animals.

Expanding the facility again wasn’t feasible due to space and funding priorities.

The zoo said it could not stop breeding entirely without undermining its long-term conservation role, which requires maintaining healthy, reproducing populations.

Edited by: Wesley Rahn