America News Agency

Aalborg Zoo urged owners of chickens, rabbits, and guinea pigs to donate their animals to be eaten whole by animals such as the Eurasian lynx.

It was stated that live donations would be euthanized by trained personnel. The zoo promised that "nothing would be wasted" and said it would "gratefully" accept live horses as well.

The zoo explained that such animals were needed "to mimic the natural food chain – for the sake of animal welfare and professional integrity."

In a social media post alongside a photo of a lynx with an open mouth, Aalborg Zoo wrote: "Chickens, rabbits, and guinea pigs form an important part of the diet of our predators, especially the Eurasian lynx, which in the wild hunts whole prey."

The post added: "If you have a healthy animal that needs to be euthanized for various reasons, you can donate it to us. After gentle euthanasia by trained staff, the animal is used as food. In this way, nothing is wasted, and we support the natural behavior, diet, and welfare of our predators."

The social media post drew many reactions and comments. Some criticized the initiative, and one person called it a "sick idea."

Last week, a zoo in Nuremberg, Germany, also faced backlash after euthanizing 12 healthy baboons due to overcrowding and feeding them to lions in front of the public.