Zoo animals as Food

A German mayor has filed charges against zoo workers in his town for shooting animals and selling them as meat.

The mayor's spokesperson said deer were amongst animals which had been killed and sold without permission by workers at Erfurt Zoo.

She said: "The case is now with the state prosecutors".

The German Animal Protection League has demanded a review of controls at Erfurt Zoo and all institutions housing animals in the state of Thuringia.

Wolfgang Apel, president of the League, said: "We are worried this is only the tip of the iceberg."
Erfurt Zoo is home to lions, elephants and giraffes among other animals. It has been the subject of complaints from animal rights campaigners and federal authorities over its imports of South American wild elephants.