The baby seal that was captured after escaping from the zoo has been put down to be made into fox food, despite campaigning attempts by Icelanders to spare its life.
Director of the Reykjavík Family Park And Zoo Tómas Óskar Guðjónsson confirmed for Vísir that the baby seal, who earlier this week escaped the zoo and was captured at a nearby campsite, has been killed. This was not meant as a punishment or to be a deterrent against others attempting to make a break for it – rather, all seals born at the zoo that cannot be cared for are put down, due to limited space.
The execution went forward despite the creation of a Facebook group shortly after its capture imploring the zoo to spare the life of the baby seal. Many of the Icelanders commenting in the group are angry over the execution, and have vowed to boycott the zoo altogether.
It should be known that the baby seal did not die in vain, as its remains will go towards the continuation of life in the form of fox food. This may be a more dignified ending for a seal than other alternatives, though, such as ending up on the grill to be dined on by zoo employees, as is often done with zoo animals put down in the autumn.
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