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Copenhagen zoo puts down giraffe despite campaign

9 February 2014 Last updated at 15:45 GMT

Efforts to win a last minute reprieve for a young giraffe called Marius at Copenhagen Zoo have failed and the zoo has put the animal down.

Scientists defended the action saying that giraffes had to be selected to ensure the best genes were passed down to future generations.

Thousands of people had signed an online petition urging the zoo to find the giraffe another home.

The carcass will partly be used for research and partly to feed carnivores.

Malcolm Brabant reports.