Silence of the hams: Zoo culls two endangered piglets because of European breeding quotas

Cuddling up to their mother, these African piglets were more than an endearing attraction for zoo visitors.

They were also the successful product of a breeding programme aimed at keeping alive endangered species.

Zoo managers had hoped that many more of these rare Red River Hogs would be born in future. But yesterday it emerged the piglets had been killed by one of the zoo’s own vets.

'Disgusting': Critics say culling healthy animals like Sammi and Becca is wrong despite it being commonplace



The pair, named Sammi and Becca, were destroyed at Edinburgh Zoo to comply with the controversial requirements of a European breeding project – after being deemed ‘surplus to requirements’.



It is feared that three other piglets currently at the zoo could also be culled. The move has outraged staff and horrified animal welfare campaigners. One staff member said: ‘We didn’t have any say. I found it pretty disgusting and was rather upset.’

Ross Minett, campaigns director at OneKind (previously Advocates for Animals), said: ‘We believe it is wrong for these healthy, harmless animals to be culled.’

Culled: Piglets Sammi and Becca with mother Bellein in their enclosure at Edinburgh Zoo, prior to being killed

Last night Edinburgh Zoo admitted that such ‘culls’ take place ‘once or twice a year’ but refused to identify other species that had been targeted.

The culls have come about because of the zoo’s membership of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, which runs the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP). It manages the breeding of endangered animals in zoos.

What next? Sammi and Becca were culled because of a European breeding quota - but the zoo has three more piglets of their kind

A zoo spokesman said: ‘Sammi and Becca were humanely euthanised after the EEP identified a surplus. As a member of EAZA, it is imperative that the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland [which runs the zoo] complies.’

The endangered species programme aims to ensure genetic diversity. This involves limiting the number of animals with the same genetic make-up to guard against in-breeding.