Swiss zoo admits it sold park animals at its restaurant

(Image credit: Screenshot/Wildnispark Zurich)

last updated 8 January 2015

The Wildnispark Zurich is on the fast track to becoming Switzerland's most infamous zoo.

The zoo promises a "primordial nature experience" with "fascinating nature adventures." Those adventures could be a little too fascinating, though — Swiss newspaper Der Landbote discovered that if the zoo becomes "too crowded," its animals could "end up on the plates of restaurant customers."

A park spokesperson tried to put a positive spin on the scandal, saying the zoo's policy was "very ecological." Roughly 100 animals are born at the zoo each year, but because of space restrictions, not all of them can stay at the zoo. Animals that can't be placed elsewhere are killed — and oftentimes, their meat is used at the park's restaurant: 49 deer and 10 wild boar were shot in the park in 2012 and "'recycled' for human consumption," The Local reports.