Ten geladas have been euthanised at Zurich Zoo as part of population management.
Zoo officials say the animals were selected to reduce tensions within the troop and maintain the long-term genetic stability of the species in European zoos.
The geladas lived in the Simien Mountains enclosure, where the group had grown large enough to trigger frequent conflicts. After the removal of the ten animals, the troop now numbers 38. Zoo director Severin Dressen said the decision was necessary to protect animal welfare and allow breeding to continue within the European Endangered Species Programme.
Six geladas had already been rehomed to other zoos in 2025, but no placements could be found for the remaining animals. The zoo says the euthanasia followed Swiss animal-welfare rules, with the animals first sedated and then put down painlessly.
Geladas—sometimes called bleeding-heart baboons—live in complex social groups in the Ethiopian highlands. Although still listed as Least Concern, their wild population is declining as farming and human expansion reduce their habitat.
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