Denmark has certainly gone out of its way to proudly assert how forward-thinking they are about animal welfare and the preservation of bio-diversity. Giving another lesson on the world stage of progressive decision-making and impressive methodology for teaching the younger generation how to view the world of biology, and specifically the treatment of animals.

At one time in the not-distant-enough past, it was considered to be both entertainment and instruction to inform townspeople when a public execution was being planned, to enable all and sundry to come out and share in the festivities of free entertainment of great fascination to the many who, like modern cinema-attendees, often brought along their own edible treats to enhance the experience.

Copenhagan Zoo in their enlightened version of the same mind-process, informed parents of impressionable children that this planned event to treat Marius, an eighteen-month-old healthy male giraffe to an early departure from life, and the grand opportunity to be fed to hungry lions as a family spectacle, would add to children's appreciation of the natural world, and give them a heads-up on animal anatomy.

A healthy young giraffe named Marius lies on the ground after being shot dead at Copenhagen zoo on February 9, 2014 despite an online petition to save it (Scanpix Denmark/AFP, Kasper Palsnov)

And so, there they were, children knee-deep in observation as the young giraffe was killed with a bolt gun, all taking place on a stage, the giraffe dismembered, and its parts fed to lions. The Copenhagen Zoo was performing its obligation to destroy an animal insufficiently diversified genetically from those others already in their care; widening of the gene pool to ensure genetic vigour the goal.

Never did it occur to any of those dedicated animal lovers that castrating Marius rather than killing him would produce the same gene-diversity-protective goal.

The executive director of Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquariums stated such an event is not something seen in Canada. Zoos, stated Massimo Bergamini, must carefully weigh the (purported) educational value of presenting such ongoings as a public event ... against the potential to shock. Not quite denouncing the decision to dispatch Marius, but questioning the value of the proceedings as a public event.

The Copenhagen Zoo made its decision despite a public outcry resulting in tens of thousands of signatures on a petition begging it not to proceed, despite an offer from an individual to pay over a half million dollars to take protective custody of Marius, despite offers from other zoos, including one in Great Britain, to absorb the young giraffe into their own animal care programs.

Shame on Denmark!